I AM A GIRL
by jacques0
Summary: A single wish, althought he never meant for it to happen, send Cloud Strife head first into a lot of drama..
1. My life

**New story from the guy who brought you the Farron Sisters, Final Fantasy Reverse XIII and many others**

**Enjoy and review**

I AM A GIRL

Chapter One

My life

Hey everyone.

My name is Cloud Strife.

I am a high school student, a senior, I am proud to say in the most prodigious school in the entire city of Midgar. I have been going there ever since my freshman year, and I must say it had been as pleasant as waking up for school on Monday morning.

Trust me, no one likes to wake up on Monday morning, the bed seems way too comfortable for doing so, and you never want to leave it. About me, let's see, I'm of average height, not too tall, not too short either, but for an odd reason, I seem to be the shortest of my group of friends. This was a strange question I always ask myself whenever all of us are seating together to do something. It ticks me off to no ends seeing that I was the shortest of the group.

Well, moving on, as I said before, I'm in one of the most prodigious school in Migdar which is not the city I was born and raised to tell you the truth, my home town is in Nibelheim a city in the mountains, but I will not be getting into that.

The school had one of the biggest campuses I have ever seen in my life. Well, it's owned by SHINRA ELECTRICAL Co. so I'm not really surprised about it; after all, the company was one of the most powerful companies in the world right now.

Which is why the school is named after it, SHINRA Academy.

I thought they should have been more creative with the name I mean, seriously, who the hell will want to go to a school with that kind of name.

I had some good friends in that school, namely Zackary Fair, commonly known as Zack, and there is Yuffie which I'm betting my money on that this girl is a ninja.

There was one time when the bell had run and she wasn't in the class but the second the teacher's back was turned, and then _bam_ there she was seating there as if nothing had happened.

I made a mental note to let her teach me how to do that.

But this wasn't the reason I wanted to tell you this little thing that had happened to me.

Well, to tell you the truth I keep thinking back to that time as if it was a dream but heck I have the picture to prove it. Well, I'm not going to spoil it for yah.

Let's turn time back a little to the afternoon before my life changed forever…

* * *

I remembered that day quite well, actually. School had just ended and both me and Zack, we usually spend the week-end planning mischief all around the school, one of the reasons why the prefects know our name quite well.

If something had went amiss within the school, Zack and I were the first ones suspected to have caused it. But it doesn't actually help us out either when we burst out laughing learning what had happened.

"So any mischief for next week?" I asked the man himself.

Zack give me a smirk.

"Well, I don't have anything planned," he said, "But I did learn something about the wishing tree."

I gave Zack a disbelieving glance.

"The _what_ now?"

"Wishing tree," Zack told me.

"Never heard of it," I said.

"Well, it's mostly popular around girls," he told me opening his locker, "I've heard them talking about it. It's a large tree with purple leaves."

"That's quite unusual," I said, "Who did you hear that from anyway?"

"Well, Yuna and her gang," Zack said.

Yuna, the girl was a godsend. She wasn't overly brash about anything but her gentle personality made her quite a lovely girl. I talked to her in class a few times before.

"She don't strike me as the type of girl to believe in wishing things," I told him, "Just like Cocoon got them wishing fireworks."

Zack laughed.

"I mean seriously," I continued, "Wishing on fireworks? I never understood that concept."

"Well, you weren't born and raised in Cocoon did you?" Zack told me closing the locker.

At that moment, I hear a lot of giggling girls and I sighed. I didn't even have to turn around to know who was passing behind me, but I looked around anyway.

Yep I was right.

Sephiroth Crescent.

This guy transferred from another school back when I was a freshman. He had long silver hair, and a pale long face. His eyes were a deep green and from what I hear from the girls, he was quite desirable. Half of the female population of the school wants to get in his pants while the other half just admires him from afar.

Since his arrival back then, he took Genesis's place as the school idol, thought the poetic guy wasn't too happy about that. But something about Sephiroth rubbed me the wrong way. Not that we had any interaction before, it's just something about the guy make me want to punch his face in.

I guess his presence have that effect on me.

"Well here goes the King," Zack said, a little too loudly.

Sephiroth turned his head slightly but didn't say anything. I was sure he heard Zack's comment but he didn't say anything. He just continued walking, his fangirls following after him.

"How are we supposed to get a girlfriend if that guy is going to be around for our entire high school carreer?" Zack sighed.

I turned toward him.

"Maybe one will take pity on us both."

"Shut up Cloud."

The both of us walked out of the school main building and into the large grounds. They were many students seating on the grass and some of them were playing around with a Blitzball. I was a fan of the sport myself and occasionally played it…thought I didn't make the team the year I had tried out, some guy named Tidus did.

We still stayed friends thought.

"So how about it, you want to check this place out?" Zack asked.

"You mean the wishing Tree?" I said, "C'mon Zack, it's worst than wishing on fireworks, plus I've got nothing to wish for."

"What you're scared that it will actually work?" Zack teased.

I give him an _are-you-serious_ look.

"I'm not scared," I told him.

Zack just continued with his teasing.

"Well, wait till I tell the guys that you're scared of a little wishing Tree," he said.

Okay, this guy was asking for it.

"Alright, I'll come with you," I told him.

A light suddenly go off in his eyes.

"Then when you get there I dare you to make a wish," he said.

"Fine, I'll do it," I said, "I'm going to show you, I'm not goddamn scared of a stupid tree."

Zack led me straight toward where the Tree was. It was in the back of the school almost into the forest. As we got closer I noticed the tree. It was a large tree, similar to a Willow, and the purple leaves were still since it had no wind. I must say, the damn tree looked strangely imposing with that strange aura around it.

I couldn't really explain it; it was like something in the back of my mind was warning me to stay away from it.

"So, you scared Cloud?"

I give him a glare.

"I'm not scared," I grumbled.

"Well, then," he said, "Go closer."

"Alright, alright," I said, "Stop rushing me."

I wasn't going to lie, I was intimidated by a tree. Call me crazy or a pussy, if you had seen that tree too, you would have had the same feeling I was feeling right now. But I wasn't going to back out while Zack was there watching me. I swear I could feel his smirk aimed toward my back.

"So how does this thing work anyway?" I asked him.

"Well, according to Yuna," Zack said, "You have to touch the tree with your right hand, said the wish and a leaf have to fall right after or it won't work."

I give him a nod before raising my hand, touching the tree. It was calloused underneath my palm.

I smirked.

_Well, I'll wish for something impossible._

Now in that moment, I didn't get why I didn't wish for me to become the most admired guy in school like Sephiroth is. Or why not for a million gils? Or having superpowers? Or _anything_ an average guy would have wanted…

The thing that had come out of my mouth, in a low whisper was…

"_I wish I was a girl_."

I stood there for at least a full five second waiting for something to happen but alas, I was still a full blown male. I turned toward Zack, feeling confident.

"See I told you it won't work,"

Zack looked at me frowning.

"What did you wish for?" he asked.

I smirked.

"Something impossible,"

_I know that there is no way I can turn into a girl, _I thought.

Both of us walked away from the tree, never noticing the falling leaf that was now landing upon the grassy ground.

**You guys can see where this is going right? Even so, i always wanted to write an genderbended story. As i explained on my profile, it`s the similarity between Lightning from XIII and Cloud from VII that gave birth to this story. with Lightning compared to a female Cloud.**

**C`mon, i couldn`t resist. Next time: **Surprise at Dawn

**Anyway, enjoy and review.**

**Jacques0 out.**


	2. Surprise at Dawn

**Hey guys, here is the next chapter**

**Enjoy**

Chapter Two

Surprise at Dawn

After we left the Wishing Tree, Zack and I went back to our dorms and played videogames in his room. He was rooming with another dude Angeal, who was quite laid back in my opinion.

He is one of Sephiroth's friends, based on rumors and since he isn't here right now, I'm sure he is going to be with the silver haired King. Anyway, I drunk some more soda and continued to mash the buttons on the controller I was holding.

Ah, I'm a master in this shit.

I was whopping Zack's character in this shooting game and I was on my third kill while Zack only had one.

"Damn, I play this game more than you," Zack said, "How the hell are you beating me?"

"Beginner's luck?" I teased.

He gives me a glance.

"No way you're a beginner Strife," he told me.

Okay I can admit that.

"Well, one of my old friends had the older version," I told him, "They're not really that different except for the graphics. The buttons are the same well, most of them."

"Ah, I knew it. There is no way you could beat me," Zack said.

I chuckled.

"It's not my fault you're a sore loser Zack," I told him.

"Bah," he said.

_GROWL!_

The both of us stared at each other.

"Holy Maker dude, was that your _stomach_?" Zack asked, unable to contain his laughs.

"Shut up," I told him.

I put a hand on my stomach. It was hurting me as if someone had just punched me in the guts.

"I think I ate something bad," I told him.

Zack frowned.

"It's just junk food," he said, "We do this all the time and you never gotten sick."

"I know," I told him.

_What the hell was wrong with me?_

The pain in my stomach didn't end there. It seemingly spread all over my body as I sat there. Holy shit, it hurts a lot more than I dared to think.

"I…I think I'm gonna go back to my room," I told him, putting the controller down.

Zack was instantly worried.

"Shit, you're sure you're okay Cloud?" he asked.

"Hey, I probably ate something I'm allergic to," I told him, "no need to get worried. I'm going to sleep it off."

"Sure you don't have to go to the school doctor?"

The pain seemed to burn into my body like a hot knife.

"Relax, Zack," I told him, "Beside, I don't want to go to the doc. That guy scares me."

Zack chuckled at the light humor.

"Well, if it continues tomorrow I'm dragging your ass into the doctor's office, even if you got a Hojophobia," Zack told me.

And this is why ladies and gentlemen that Zack Fair was my best friend. I consider him a brother even, and even thought he could be quite a mother hen sometimes.

"Noted," I told him.

I left his room and walked down the hallway of the dorms. I make my way all the way toward the room at the end where my room was. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

I could feel exhaustion all over my body which was strange in itself, considering thirty minutes ago, I was filled with energy. I could feel my inside wrenching as if someone was pulling at them.

_W…What the hell is wrong with me?_

Maybe I should have gone to the doc's office just like Zack had suggested. This was a bad allergic reaction but I couldn't remember what I had actually eaten to make me go all…sick like that.

I had only enough energy to make it to my bed before I passed out completely.

Well let's just say beyond this point. My life was about to take a huge turn.

* * *

Next thing I knew was that bright sunlight was right on my eyelids, forcing me to open them. That turned out to be a mistake for the bright light was suddenly in my eye.

"_GAh_,"

I snapped my head up, shaking it. I blinked looking around the room. It looked relatively the same as it was before. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was different, but what could it be, my sleepy brain didn't seem to be able to figure it out.

I raised one of my hands and ran it through my hair, and instead of feeling the usual spiky Chocobo ass hair, it felt…_smooth._

_I don't remember washing my hair, _I thought.

Then something else came to my attention. I looked at my hands, seeing that they looked a lot different than the hands that I was used to seeing. Unlike the large strong hands, they were small and feminine and were half covered by my long sleeved shirt sleeves.

"_What the fuck," _I murmured.

I suddenly got off my bed, making a run toward the mirror I had in my wardrobe.

_Just what the heck is going on? _I thought wildly.

I faced the mirror and I feel my heart freeze at the sight. It wasn't Cloud Strife I was seeing on the reflection. It could have been his sister, but the reflection wasn't of Cloud Strife.

It was a girl…woman more likely with pinkish hair that was standing in awkward angle. She was dressed in the same clothes I was wearing from last night, now looking too big for her.

I simply stood there, staring at the reflection in front of me, completely loss for words. This was too impossible for me to register that this girl was _actually_ me.

I stepped closer to the mirror.

Actually, the girl looked _exactly_ like me. She could have passed for my twin. She had the same piercing blue eyes which were wider now and the lips were fuller and pouted which I raised my hand to touch my own lips seeing the girl in the mirror imitate the movement.

Then a look of absolute horror crossed my face.

_I…I am a girl._

I suddenly stepped backward, slipping over something and falling down on the ground. Wincing, I seated back up before glancing at the mirror again seeing that it wasn't a dream and I haven't imagined it.

_How did this happen _was the main question that was running through my mind at the moment. It couldn't be possible that I went to sleep as a boy and wake up as a girl the next day, it simply wasn't possible.

_Well, I'll wish for something impossible._

Then it dawned upon me.

The Wishing Tree actually works.

_Holy Maker, it actually worked._

I had wished yesterday to be a girl, but I didn't actually think that I would _literally _become a girl. This was insane, unheard of…

I need to speak to Zack, he is the only one that will actually believe me if I said anything considering he was the one that actually talked me into doing that stupid wish in the first place…

Okay, scratch that last part, he didn't actually talk me into wishing to become a girl but he _did _talk me into making a wish. If I had known that the thing would have actually worked, I should have wished for a million gils.

I glanced at the clock, seeing that it was almost ten o'clock in the morning. Zack should be awake by this time, and I opened my room door, getting ready to dash for Zack`s room, before slamming it close again.

_Think _Cloud, girls aren't allowed into the boy's dormitory…what would you do if someone catches you?

_Damn it what should I do, _I thought, glancing around the room.

Then I quickly crossed the room, searching my stuffs before I found my phone which I had left in the charge yesterday. I quickly opening up, scrolled down to Zack's name and quickly texted him.

_Zack, come to my room as soon as you get this. This is an EMERGENCY._

There, that should have him running into the room…

Before I could finish my train of thought, someone knocked on my door.

"Hey, Cloud you in there; don't tell me you're still asleep?" Zack's voice said from the other side.

I quickly ran toward the door sprung it open and caught the shirt of a very surprised Zack Fair and dragged him inside the room and slamming the door behind him.

"Er…who are you?" Zack asked, "And what are you doing in Cloud's room?"

"Zack, _I am Cloud," _I hissed to him.

Wow, my voice sounded higher than I thought it would.

The young man stood there, staring at me and I can tell he didn't believe me.

"No way," Zack said.

"Considering you were dying to take me to the nurse last night I thought you would have believed me," I said, giving him a glare.

Zack continued to stare at me…and I can see the cogs working in his mind.

"C'mon looks my face," I said, "You don't recognize your own best friend?"

That got through him.

"_Cloud?"_

I smiled.

"There you go,"

He stared at me…as if he couldn't actually believe it was actually me standing in front of him.

"H…_How did this happen_?"

**Yeah two chapter so far. **

**Hope you enjoy**

**Next Chapter: **A new problem...or an adventage?

**R&R**

**Jacques0 out.**


	3. A new problem or is it an advantage

**The next chapter in this story.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter Three

A new Problem…or is it an advantage?

So, I told Zack everything that had happened since I arrived in my room last night and you know what the bastard is doing?

He is laughing.

I mean, holding his stomach laughing at me. How the hell can this guy be like that? He shouldn't be laughing at me; he should be helping me solving this problem I found myself in.

"You're done?" I asked him, feeling irritated.

"Sorry," he said, "I just can't believe your wish thought."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What is it can't you believe? You asked me to make a wish and I did, didn't I? What's so unbelievable about that?"

"I mean, Cloud I thought you would have wished for something that any typical guy would have wanted. Be popular, have a girlfriend or heck..._anything_. I never thought that of all that you would have wished yourself to be a girl."

"Hey I wished for something impossible," I said, well, more like snapped at him, "Because I didn't seriously think that I would have become a girl."

Zack sighed.

"Well, that's what they're called wishes Cloud," he told me, "It's because they're supposed to be aiming at the impossible."

I rolled my eyes in indifference.

"So what are you going to do?" he asked me.

"Well, I want my old self back for starter," I told him, "Heck, I can't go around the school as a girl."

Suddenly a look crossed Zack's face.

"Maybe not as yourself," he said.

I stared at him. He better not be thinking what I think he was thinking.

"Zack…"

"Wait before you disagree," he said, "listen Cloud…"

"No I don't want to listen," I told him, cutting him off, "I just want to turn back into who I was."

At that time, someone knocked at my door.

"_Is that a girl I hear in there?" _

The both of us suddenly turned toward the door, a look of horror crossing our faces at the sudden realization of _who_ was behind the door. I must have raised my voice higher than I thought if the dorm keeper had been able to hear me yelling.

"_Strife_," the dorm keeper yelled.

The doorknob started to twist.

We both threw ourselves against the door stopping it from opening fully.

"_Strife_, open this door right this instant," the dorm keeper yelled.

Zack and I stared at each other.

_What should I do? _I mouthed at him.

_Window, _Zack mouthed, indicating it with his head.

I stared at the window.

_We're on the second floor, _I angrily mouthed at him.

"Strife, don't make me come in here with the Principal, open this door _this instant_."

I didn't have to wait another moment. I flew toward the window and threw it open. I looked down, and…

Holy shit that's a long way down…

I turned toward Zack who was still leaning against the door. He urged me to go with his hands and I nodded at him. I put one leg after the other, still dressed in lose clothes…Damn, are girls really that small from guys?

Now, I wonder how that looks like to an outsider. I mean, a girl, sneaking out of a guy's window? I always heard the opposite happenings but, I guess this is a first time for everything.

I stood up on the ledge and I suddenly realized that I was barefoot. Well, that's too bad since I can't go back in the room and get a pair of shoes which could probably too big for me. Using the edge, I started to slide sideway disappearing from the room's window…

Then of all the things that should have happened, I slipped from the ledge.

"Ah, _shit_," I yelled.

I slipped forward, dropping face first toward the ground and as fast as everything was going, I swore I saw something silver before I collided straight against it, instinctively knocking me out.

Damn, this girl's body was _really_ fragile.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, I was disoriented at first so I couldn't really tell where I was. My head was pounding and I was feeling pain from the side of my head.

"She's waking up," a voice said.

Blinking, I turned toward where the voice was coming from. Right there in front of me, was Sephiroth Crescent himself. He was dressed out of his school clothes and he was holding an ice pack at his head…

"Are you alright dear?"

The doctor, Hojo appeared in my line of vision. I blinked, suddenly seating up realizing where I was. I was in the school infirmary. The pain in my head suddenly becomes stronger full force causing me to wince a little.

"Ouch,"

"Easy there," Hojo said, "You took quite a good knock in the head here."

_You don't have to remind me Hojo, _I thought grumbling under my breath.

"H…How did I get here?" I asked.

"Well, Sephiroth brought you in," Hojo told me looking at the young man who was still seating on the bed across me, holding the icepack against his head.

I stared at him confused for a moment, and then it clicked. That silver thing I saw…it was him? Damn, I didn't think that I would run into him in the form I was in.

"But miss, how did you get in this school?" Hojo asked me, "You aren't registered into the system?"

I stared at Hojo.

_Well, what did you expect? I was Cloud Strife till yesterday night._

"Miss?" Hojo said, bringing me back to earth.

"What? Oh, er…I came to see…Cloud," I said.

"Strife?" Sephiroth said.

I stared at him in surprise.

Wow, I didn't even think he knew my real name.

"Er…yeah," I said continuing, "I'm…I'm his cousin."

Sephiroth looked at me suspiciously almost as if he could see right through me, so I quickly looked away. Heck, I don't want him to see through my lie.

Wait?

How the hell Sephiroth is going to see through my lie? I'm a girl now aren't I? There is no way he could actually know I was Cloud Strife unless…

He can't read my mind can he?

I glanced back at him. Heck, if a tree can turn me into a girl by just a wish, there is no way what else I took for granted is actually real? And well, since Sephiroth is actually not looking at me in shock and surprise, I'm pretty sure he couldn't read minds.

"His cousin," Hojo said, "Well do you have a name?"

I stared back at him, annoyed.

_Couldn't let it drop could he?_

"It's Lightning," I said.

From the corner of my eyes, I see Sephiroth raise an eyebrow at me.

Well, I'm making this shit up so don't judge me if I said the first thing that was on top of my head. Damn it, I'm a dumbass, I just _had_ to choose a name that was close to my real name isn't it?

"Well, Miss Lightning," Hojo said, totally oblivious to the eye war that was happening in front of him, "I'm going to ring up Cloud's room so that I will let him know that you are here."

He walked out the room, leaving me alone with Sephiroth. Is it me or is it _really_ awkward in here?

"You're lying aren't you?"

I turned toward Sephiroth.

"What?"

"I can tell when someone is lying," Sephiroth said, now his green eyes looking straight into mines, "But what I don't understand. If you're really Cloud cousin, why did you fall from one of the window of the boy's dormitory?"

_Maker, he really can read minds, _I thought, looking at him.

"It's not of your business," I snapped at him.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, a smirk working on his lips.

"Really? Is that how you thank the person you brought you here?" he said, "I found that really rude for a young lady."

This guy is really starting to infuriate me.

"Then you should just have left me there," I snapped at him, "I didn't ask you to carry me all the way here did I?"

"You didn't," he said, "I wouldn't be a gentleman if I simply left a beautiful flower such as yourself unattended after such injury, even if the injury was her fault."

I opened my mouth for a retort when what he had said register in my brain. I just seated there, gaping at him in shock. He must not have realized what he just said for he stared back at me with confusion.

"What? Is there something on my face?" he asked me.

I was too surprised to even speak, looking at him. Sephiroth Crescent just complimented and insulted me in the same sentence. I didn't know whether I should find this strange…or simply weird.

I simply turned away from him, wanting this day to be over. I haven't been a girl a day and I already wanted to go back to my old self. I knew if I tried to talk to Sephiroth when I was Cloud, all I would get is a look. Now, that I was a girl, he was simply talking like I was a stranger…which technically I was to him…in this form.

I didn't know if that was a problem…or an advantage.

**Yeah, this is it for now.**

**Hope you have enjoyed it.**

**Next time: **No take back.

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	4. No take back

**Hey guys, here is the next chapter.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter Four

No take back

By the time Zack arrived in the room, Sephiroth had already left the room. Something I was glad for because there is no way I could simply be in a room with that guy alone.

Something about him seemed strange today. I couldn't really explain it.

"Here put on some shoes," Zack said.

It was my sandals from last night, which I gratefully took from him and that was when I noticed something.

"Zack…it's too big for me."

He stared at the sandals that seemed to swallow my entire foot.

"Wow, didn't think that one through," he said, smirking sheepishly, "With your entire _you know what _happening."

I sighed.

"Just give the other one to me."

I put them on. As the rest of my clothes, they were loose on my body but I knew what I have to do to fix this.

"Zack, let's go back to that Tree," I told him.

He looked confused.

"What's with the Tree?" he asked me.

I stared back at him.

"That stupid tree is the thing that started all of this in the first place," I snapped at him, "I'm going there and wish again for me to be back as a boy."

Zack tapped his chin.

"I'm not sure that's how it works," he said.

I don't give a damn how that thing works. I just want to have my body back again the way I was born.

"I didn't ask for your opinion," I said.

Zack sighed.

"Fine, I'll take you there," he said.

He was true to his word as usual and soon enough we were back at the place where all of this mess had started. The tree looked as imposing as ever, its purple leaves dancing in the wind, oddly enough no leaves were coming off of it.

"Well, here we are," Zack said.

I approached the tree again, this time without fear and I put my hand against the trunk.

_Here we go, _I thought, closing my eyes.

"I wish I was Cloud Strife again," I said.

When I reopened them, I was standing in a field of flowers. I was so shocked that I suddenly stepped back, glancing around myself.

_Where am I? _I thought.

Then I looked down upon myself seeing that all my clothes were fitting around my body again, all of them my size. Not daring to believe it, I put my hand in my hair.

Chocobo hair for the win.

"YEAH, CLOUD STRIFE IS BACK," I yelled fist pumping in the air.

"You sure are a happy one," a voice suddenly said.

"IYAH," I yelled jumping away from it.

I fall down on my ass and a light giggle echoed around me. I looked up toward the voice finding a girl there. She had long dark hair, dressed with a black shirt and a blue long thing over it. She was also wearing pants underneath a blue skirt.

"Er…who are you?"

"I'm Rinoa," she said, "And I already know who you are Cloud Strife."

I stood back up.

She knows my name…okay.

"I don't remember seeing you anywhere at school," I told her.

Rinoa giggled again.

"You wouldn't since I'm not a student of the school," she said, "Never was and never will be."

I stared at her, confused.

Okay I was pretty confused at this girl, considering that I was supposed to be at the tree…

_My wish. Zack._

"Where did the tree go?" I asked her, looking around.

Rinoa smiled.

"The tree didn't go anywhere Cloud," she said, "You are the one that came here."

Okay this girl was really starting to make my head turns.

"I…_What_?"

"This place is a dimension that is connected to the Purple leaves of the Tree," she said.

"A dimension?" I repeated.

Rinoa nodded.

"Are you a genie of some kind?" I asked her.

Rinoa laughed.

"Wow, you are the second young man that made me laugh so much in so little time," she said.

"Second?" I said, "Who was the first."

Rinoa stayed silent for a few seconds.

"It was a man named Squall I believe," she said, "He made a wish just as you did. He had come to the tree and seated by it and ended up falling asleep in the process. Then he came here."

Rinoa smiled softly.

"Of course he thought he was dreaming when he met me," she said, "And his wish was to have more time with his family since he was dying of a heart cancer."

I winced at that.

"I granted it for him," Rinoa said, "He was supposed to die in two weeks. I gave him ten years before the cancer came back and eventually he passed away."

I stared at the girl, suddenly understanding something.

"You're the one that grant the wishes," I whispered.

She nodded.

"That mean you can turn me back into a boy again," I told her.

Rinoa looked at me sadly.

"I can't," she said.

I stared at her, shocked.

"Why not?"

"Because it's not possible," she told me, "I can't take back the wishes I had granted people Cloud. If I could, I wouldn't be…me."

I stared at her, not wanting to accept it.

"But...that guy Squall you give him time, but he still died," I reminded her.

"I only gave what was asked of me," Rinoa told me calmly, "He asked me for more time with his family not for immortality and that's what I had granted him. Death is something that no wish can prevent when the time comes. You asked me to be a girl, which was an intriguing wish in itself I might add, so this is what I did."

I sighed.

"I won't be able to turn back wouldn't I?"

Rinoa give me a sad smile.

"I'm sorry," she said.

I really should have wished to become a millionaire.

"I don't blame you," I told her, "It was my stupid mistake that got me as a girl."

Rinoa give me a light pat on the back.

"You are still Cloud Strife even if you are a girl on the outside," she said, "If you weren't, you wouldn't be able to see the real you when you are here."

I sighed. So there were no take back in this wishing thing, If only I was aware of it sooner than later, it wouldn't have never got me where I am. I probably would have never made the stupid wish.

"Do…Do you grant every wishes?" I asked her, wanting to know.

Rinoa shook her head.

"Not every wish," she said softly, "Some of the wishes can be accomplished without my involvement. Before I grant someone's wish, I look into their hearts to see how sincere they are about it."

"Look into their hearts?" I repeated confused.

"People wish for a lot of things Cloud," Rinoa said, a sad look in her eyes, "Whether for the death of someone they hate, or fame, power, control, things that can change them into something unrecognizable. It's sad really, how twisted humanity can be against their kind."

That confused me.

"What about me?" I asked her.

"I told you, your wish was an intriguing one," Rinoa said looking at me with a smile, "I was really surprised but I granted it nonetheless. You were sincere about it when you made the wish, something that isn't found in a lot of places."

I sighed, looking at my real body.

"To think I might never see this again," I said, "It really scares me."

Rinoa put a hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention toward her again.

"Don't beat yourself down," she said, "You never know what the future might hold for you Cloud Strife."

Next thing I knew I was standing in front of the tree again, with my palm against the trunk and Zack's voice…

"…C'mon man, you've been standing here for a good fifteen minutes now."

I opened my eyes, finding the feminine hand against the tree and then I removed it.

"Huh? You're done," Zack said.

I simply stood there in front of the tree, not even moving an inch. I didn't know what I feeling, but all I knew is that the feelings were overwhelmingly strong…

"Hey, buddy you're crying," Zack said, not keeping the worried tone out of his voice, "Are you okay?"

Was I crying? I couldn't really tell actually. But I did know that I had crumbled down on my knees, feeling Zack's arms took hold of my form as I started to cry.

**Yay, Rinoa as a genie girl. I was going to put Aerith but i wanted the girl to have a bigger role in the story, and i can`t think of that redhead Turk girl as a genie. Hope you enjoy**

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	5. Decisions

**Hey guys, new update here.**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter Five

Decisions

I was seating on a bench now, with my head bowed. There was no way I could turn back into a guy now. I stared at the feminine hands that were curled up. I had cried earlier something I hardly done before in my boys days.

_I can never be Cloud Strife again, _I thought feeling a heavy heart.

"Hey you okay?"

Zack had returned now holding a soda in his hand. I quickly wiped my face and ran a hand through my now smooth hair.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine."

"Here," he said handing the soda toward me.

I took it from him, but didn't open it. I was simply holding the red can in my hands feeling my fingers go numb from the cold.

"So, what next?" he asked me.

I sighed.

"Hell if knew Zack," I said sighing.

He stayed silent.

"You sure that genie girl was telling the truth?"

I nodded.

"Yes she was. It was my own fault that I am the way I am now. She just grants wishes to people."

Zack chuckled a little.

"Well, what d'you know," he said, "For once, the rumors were right."

"Yeah…for once," I murmured, "I can't even go back to my old life as Cloud Strife."

"Hey," Zack said, "You are still Cloud Strife…just the female version."

I give him a glance.

"You don't have to soften the blow."

"Hey, I'm your best bud," Zack said, "I am supposed to be softening the blow for you."

Despite how I was feeling, I cracked a smile.

"Well, you can't go to school now since you aren't registered as a student," Zack said, "The only thing left to do for you now is to go back home."

"Back home…you mean, in Nibelheim?"

"Yes, back there," Zack said, "Where else are you supposed to go?"

Come to think of it, I haven't gone home since last year. I was supposed to go visit during the Christmas break but Zack and his family had invited me to a trip to Cocoon so I couldn't refuse.

"I wonder if my mom will believe me," I asked out loud.

"She has to," Zack said, "She is your mother."

"Zack, last time my mother check, she had a son not a daughter," I told him.

"Well, you can explain to her what had happened," he said.

"Yeah, maybe I can," I sighed, "Well, there is no helping it then. I'm going back home."

I stood up, feeling the pants sliding down but quickly took hold of them.

"I seriously need smaller clothes," I said.

"I can ask Yuna to borrow some," Zack said.

I stared at him.

"You sure she is going to help us?"

"Cloud, it's _Yuna_," Zack told me, as if it's explained everything.

I sighed.

"Lead the way."

We both walked straight toward the girl's dorm which was situated exactly opposite side from where the boy's dorm was. The place was painted with soft colors of pink and white, even thought the building was the same design as the boy's.

When we got closer, I noticed that they were some girls standing around by the entrance probably gossiping about something or another and as we approached, some of them glanced toward us.

"Look it's _her_,"

"_Are you sure?"_

I frowned. Who were they talking about?

"Hey girls," Zack greeted, "Any of you had seen Yuna around here?"

"She is in her room," one of the girl said, probably the youngest of the group.

"Great," Zack said, "Can you tell her that Zack Fair is asking for her help."

The girl nodded and ran inside the dorm.

"See, I told you it was a piece of cake," Zack said, giving me a wink.

I rolled my eyes.

"Excuse me, are you Lightning?" one of the girl asked, coming up toward us.

I glanced at her in confusion before I realized that the girl was speaking to me. I didn't remember the fake name I had given Hojo.

"Er…yeah," I said cautiously.

"Is it true Sephiroth had carried you?" the girl asked.

I probably should have noticed how _eager_ the girl had been and the attention of the group behind her but sadly I didn't and simply answered.

"Yeah,"

They were now all squealing and I inwardly winced, instantly wishing I had said no.

"What was it like?"

"Did you smell his cologne?"

"Did you feel his muscles?"

"Where you faking it so he could carry you?"

The questions bombard me like no tomorrow and I had to raise my hands in surrenders.

"Whoa…whoa, wait, in my defense I was unconscious at the time," I said, "I don't really know any…of these things."

That seemed to calm the girls, thought some of them looked disappointed I didn't share information to them about Sephiroth. Really, I barely knew the guy and even if I was a girl, I wasn't going to become one of his fan girls. He looks like he had enough problems already from the look of it.

Out the corner of my eyes, I noticed Zack smirking slightly. Damn him, instead of helping me he was laughing at me? This guy really needs to sort out his priorities.

"Zack," a female voice said.

Yuna had reappeared in the doorway. She looked beautiful as usual, her soft face showing her emotions which was curiosity at first but when they fell upon me, it changed to a light surprise.

"Hey Yuna," Zack said, "I was wondering if you can help us out for a few."

Yuna approached us.

"If it's a prank you're planning Zackary, then I'm not getting a part in it," she said, pointedly crossing her arms.

I couldn't help but giggle at her angry voice. She sounded cute…wait, did I just _giggle?_

Zack gave me a raised eyebrow glance before turning back toward Yuna.

"No, it's not a prank Yuna," he said, "I wouldn't drag you into one anyway. I was wondering if you could borrow Cl…I mean, _Lightning_ here some clothes. You see, she came to visit me and Cloud and then, lost her bags on the way here. Cloud went to look for it and in the mean time, his clothes aren't working out. So I was wondering if you could help us out."

_Wow Zack, you're actually telling a lie that's believable. Why couldn't you do this in front of teachers to get us out of trouble in the past?_

Yuna looked at me.

"Sure I might have some clothes that she can borrow," she said, "C'mon."

She took my hand and dragged me into the girl's dorm, leaving Zack outside. The girl's dorm looked relatively the same to the guys except something about it felt different in a way I can't explain. But they had few differences, unlike the boy's dorm carpet which was blue, this one was red.

Yuna took me to her room and it was empty, except for what looks like a few open books. She must have been working on homework, before Zack had called her. I stood there, glancing around the room. It was relatively nice, with a few teddy bears on the bed which was strange because I never got the idea why girls loved having teddy bears in their rooms.

I shrugged.

Probably a girl thing…oh wait, I'm a girl now…never mind.

"You're a little taller than me," Yuna said, searching through the clothes, "But you're about my size…so, this should work for you."

She pulled out a few clothes, one of them a skirt which I shuddered.

"Her…Yuna, don't you have any pants?" I asked her.

She shook her head.

"Sorry," she said, "My parents don't really like buying me pants."

Now that I think about it, not once I've I seeing Yuna wearing pants. Well, I can't be picky now. At least I'll be able to wear clothes that actually fit my body…no matter how girly they look.

"I'll change in the bathroom," I told her.

Yuna nodded and I walked back into the small bathroom, closing the door behind me. I glanced at the mirror and once again, the pink haired girl from this morning was looking back at me and I smiled seeing her mimicking my smile.

_Wow, I look pretty._

I shook my head and removed the large shirt I was wearing, leaving the small white thee I was wearing underneath. I froze, looking down at my own cleavage. Now that I think about it, I actually have breasts. They were creamy white, similar to my skin but pales in comparison.

_C'mon, it's your body…you can touch them if you want to Cloud._

I raised both of my hands and give both breasts a short squeeze. A shock unlike no other, ran through my body. It was almost similar to…

_Damn, they are more sensitive than I thought, do girls actually feel like that when some guy touched their breasts?_

I quickly shook my head.

_Damn it I didn't come here to leer at my own body, I can do it on another time. I have to get these clothes on and head back home._

They were easier to put on than I thought and soon enough I was about of my boys clothes and was now wearing a mid-sleeved shirt which was a dark blue color and a knee-length skirt. I was still wearing the same shoes but hey, beggars can't be chose what they asked for now can they?

I stepped out of the bathroom and Yuna looked at me, her eyes showing surprise.

"Wow, you look nice," she said, "These clothes really fit you."

"Thanks," I told her, "You are a godsend you know that."

Yuna stared at me in surprise.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head.

"You just reminded me of a boy I know," she said, "He said the same thing when I helped him out of something."

Yep, she was talking about me well, when I was a boy.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Yuna said, "Well, I'm Yuna."

"Lightning," I told her shaking her hand, "Sorry about borrowing your things like that…I'll definitely return them."

Yuna waved the apology aside.

"Well, I hardly wore them anyway," she said, "But I was glad I was able to help."

We both walked out of the room and soon enough we were back at the entrance. Zack was seating on the steps and he looked up at our arrival.

His eyes widened taking notice of me, and a light appeared in his eyes, one I knew too well. He was going to start teasing me as soon as we're alone.

"Wow, thanks for the help Yuna," he said, "You're a life saver."

"Just stay out of trouble Zackary," she said, "and it was nice meeting you Lightning."

He nodded and I gave her a wave. Then the two of us started to walk down the path leading outside of the school. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Zack open his mouth…

"_Not. One. Word_," I hissed at him.

His laughter carried out the lawn around us.

**Zack is just enjoying teasing poor Cloud isn`t he? Well hope you have enjoyed it.**

**Next time: **Nibelheim

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	6. Nibelheim

**Here is a new chapter guys. Enjoy this new chapter.**

**Hope you like it.**

Chapter Six

Nibelheim

The sun was already setting when both of us stepped off the train at the main station in Nibelheim. Yeah, you heard me right, both of us. Zack had decided to come along saying that it was "A friend's duty to be with you in the worse time." Even if I teased him about just wanting to skip a few days of class, I was glad to have him with me.

I would have probably never had gotten on the train in the first place if I went on my own, too chicken to face my own mother about what had happened to me.

"C'mon," Zack said, giving me a pat on my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts, "Let's go grab a taxi."

I nodded at him and we both walked through the semi-packed station and I noticed that the two of us keep getting side-along glances. I was feeling a little self conscious right now, since this is the first time I'm out about in public as a girl, so it was pretty strange. In the past, I wouldn't have given them a second glance but now I was aware of them all watching the two of us walk through that station.

Damn, life took such a huge turn for me and I wasn't even a girl for long.

"Hey, you okay?" Zack asked.

"What?"

"You keep looking around," he said, "You see someone you know?"

I shook my head.

"It's nothing, let's just get to my house before dark," I told him.

We took one of the taxis who were waiting for passengers.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Mako Street," I told him.

He nodded and started to drive. It didn't take long for me to start seeing places that I am familiar with. I knew that my neighborhood wasn't too far from the station. The car passed by the familiar houses and I feel my anxiety grew as the destination got closer and closer…

"Zack," I said.

He glanced toward me.

"What is it?"

"What if she doesn't believe me?"

He looked momentarily confused.

"I mean…not a lot of people is going to believe what had happened to me," I told him, "Unless they were there…she could think that I'm playing some sort of horrible joke…"

"Cloud listen," he said, "She'll believe you. C'mon, she is your mother she will have to, you've got nothing to worry about."

I nodded.

"I know but I can't stop thinking about the 'what ifs' that could happen,"

"You're stressing yourself out by thinking too much," Zack said sighing, "Just try to relax."

I let out a breath, trying to calm myself down. Even my hands feel oddly cold as if no blood was flowing through.

"Here you are," the driver said, bringing the car to a stop.

I looked out of the window and down here was my street. The street I grew up in and from the look of it, it hadn't changed one bit since I left for school. I opened the door and I heard Zack do the same with the other one.

"Here," he said paying for the ride.

The driver nodded at him before driving off. I simply stood there, looking at the street in front of me. I can recall a lot of specific memories by just looking at the street. There was a guy that used to live here, he was in the Army and he taught me some stuff about guns and whatnots. There was another of me sneaking out of my house.

"Wow, this place hasn't changed one bit, huh Cloud?" Zack told me as he glanced around.

"Yeah," I murmured.

"C'mon," he said, "Let's get this over with."

I glanced at him giving him a smile before walking forward. The both of us make our way through the empty street, and soon enough my house was in sight.

It was a two story house. It was light blue colored and the door was carved out of wood which had design of Chocobos upon it. My mother loved Chocobos and one of her close friends, Sazh Katzroy, a retired pilot, owned a Chocobo farm on Cocoon. He was the one to carve the door for us when he came down for a visit back when I was younger. He had a son now, Dahj.

We were now standing in front of the door and Zack raised his hands and knocked two loud knocks. I stayed silent, nervously playing with the bottom of my shirt as a wait for my mother to open the door.

There were quick footsteps on the other side of the door and then it opened…

But it wasn't my mom that opened it.

A young child was standing there, looking at us with curiosity and I instantly recognized him, even if he was a little older. It was Denzel, Tifa's little brother. What was he doing here?

_Oh shit, if he is here that would mean…_

"Denzel, I told you not to answer the door by yourself," the very familiar feminine voice said.

Tifa Lockhart, my childhood friend appeared behind Denzel. She had long dark hair, dressed in short pants and a white shirt upon her form. She was a nice girl, and was a bit of a tomboy when we were young. Who knew she will be turned into _this_ bombshell when we grew up?

The wonders of puberty.

Her wine eyes looked up at us curiously and they widen slightly.

"You're Zack right, Cloud's friend?" she asked.

"Yeah," Zack said giving her a smile.

"Is Cloud with you?" she asked, looking over our shoulders as if to see the male version of myself hiding behind there.

Zack give me a slight glance.

"Not exactly," he said, "I just want to speak with his mother."

Tifa looked instantly worried.

"Did something bad happen to him? Is he in trouble?"

"Well, it depends on what kind of bad is it," Zack said, "But he is not in trouble."

"Oh," Tifa said, now giving me a glance, "Who is she?"

"Oh! She is Lightning…"

"Farron," I said, remembering a name I had read off somewhere in a magazine when we were on the train, "Lightning Farron, I'm his girlfriend."

Tifa looked surprised but stepped back and in the corner of my eyes Zack made an involuntary movement.

"C'mon in," she said.

We both stepped inside the house and I give the living room a glance. It looked relatively the same as I left it. The comfy looking couch and the TV with my old console which I decided to leave here since Zack had his at school.

My mother came down from the stairs at the end of the hallway.

"Thank you for your help today Tifa," she said, "Who was it at…?"

She stopped short, her eyes falling upon mine. She stayed standing there rooted on the stop as she looked at me, an odd expression crossing her face. It was like she had recognized me somehow.

"Mrs. Strife?" Zack said, breaking the silence.

That snapped her out of her daze.

"Sorry…you just reminded me of…that will be all for tonight Tifa, I'll see you tomorrow."

The dark haired girl nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Tifa said, "C'mon Denzel."

The two stepped out of the house closing the door behind them. A total silence reigned after that as we simply stood there waiting for someone to break the silence. I wanted to talk, yell, scream, say _something_ but it was like my mouth was glued shut and I had no willpower to open it on my own.

I had never felt so _nervous_ in my entire _life_.

My mother stepped forward, approaching the two of us, her eyes staying fixed upon me.

"What is your name dear?"

Her voice was polite but curious also.

I swallowed tickly. This was the reason why I had come home in the first place. The reason why Zack had accompanied me here and had told me to trust my mom for she might believe what had happened to me, and I decided to speak, which took all my willpower.

"I…It's me Mom. _It's Cloud_."

There I said it. I had said it, and _god_ does it feel good to give in. My mother stayed silent, watching me intently and I watched her sharp eyes, willing her with all my might that she will see her son through the eyes of the girl standing in front of her.

Then her face broke out in a smile.

"Welcome home Cloud," she said.

She…_She saw me_?

"You…you believe me?" I asked her, shocked.

"I do know my child," my mother said, "But then again, your eyes tell me all, they always did even when you were small. But what I don't understand is _how_ my baby boy had become a baby girl."

Zack let out a breath he must have been holding.

"That's quite a story," he said.

My mother glanced at him.

"So you know it's Cloud?"

Zack gives her a sheepish smile.

"I was the first to know," he said.

"Good now you two come and tell me how this had happened," she said.

We had taken seat into the living room, and for the next half hour, Zack started to tell her the story of how it happened and I filled in some of the parts. It was good to be able to talk to someone else without hiding who I was. It makes me feel good about myself.

"You've had an eventful week," she said, when we were done.

"Yeah," I told her.

"That will probably make you aware of the saying _be careful what you_ _wish for_," my mother told me eyeing me with a light mirth in her eyes.

"What do you think I should do Mom?" I asked her.

She seems to think about it.

"Well, from what you told me, you can't change anything about what had happened," she said, "Unless you want to do surgeries which will take thousand of gils to do…"

"Mom, please no needles," I said, shuddering slightly.

"Then you can live your life as Lightning," she said.

"As Lightning?"

"Cloud, it could have been worse than it is now," my mother told me, "You only had a body change. You're still who you are with nothing missing since you were a boy…, well, save a few parts. It can't be that difficult to try to live your life again."

"But I just want to be Cloud Strife again," I told her.

"You already told people that you are Lightning in this girl form," my mother told me, "If you told your boy name, people are going to ask questions as to where the boy Cloud Strife had gone. They will get to the conclusion that you had a sex change and even when you deny it, you still hang out with the same friends you had before and probably won't be as nice to you as you think."

I frowned a little, thinking.

"Can it be done?" I asked, "I mean, start over as Lightning?"

"I can make a few phone calls," my mother said, "But since it's already getting late, why you two don't get some sleep. Cloud; think about what I tell you, Zack you can use the guest room."

"Why separate rooms?" Zack asked puzzled.

"If you two were boys I wouldn't care but, since I have a girl now I don't want a pregnant one at that," my mother said, "one surprise is enough for a night."

I can feel the heat working its way on my cheeks and Zack was blushing as well.

"_Mom_," I yelled, shocked.

She simply laughed.

Zack and I quickly made our way upstairs, not wanting to stay down here with my mom anymore, and I can the woman chuckling as we left.

"Sorry about that," I told him.

"Didn't think your mom would have recovered fast enough to be able to pull jokes," Zack said.

"She believed me," I whispered.

"See, I told you she would," Zack said giving me a punch in the shoulder, "You should trust what I said more."

"Yeah."

"Hey Cloud, about earlier, that girlfriend stuff," Zack said, curious, "What was _that_ about?"

"Trust me Zack," I told him, "When Tifa start asking questions, she _never _stops. I know her weakness since she never had a boyfriend before; I just wanted to shut her up."

"Damn, you're cold even to your childhood friend," he said.

"It wasn't Cloud who said that," I told him with a small smirk, "It was _Lightning_."

**Well, that`s it for now. Hope you have enjoyed that little update.**

**Next time: **Restart.

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	7. Restart

**Hey guys, here is the new chapter.**

**Enjoy and review.**

Chapter Seven

Restart

When I woke up, the sun was not yet up. I was in no hurry to get out of bed anyway. My room looked exactly as I had left it, but a little cleaner. I deduced Tifa must have cleaned it or my mom, but it was still the one room I knew and grew up in.

I was staring at the ceiling, thinking about what my mother had told me. I could start a new life as Lightning Farron, the cousin of Cloud Strife. Heck, I was the one to start the cousin business in the first place when I woke up in the Infirmary with Hojo and Sephiroth.

I wanted to be Cloud Strife again, but I knew that I couldn't take it back from Rinoa, after she said she couldn't do it. Raising a hand, I stared at the slim feminine hand that had replaced my old one. This body I was in, it was a girl's body. Could this mean I was mentally going to become a girl?

I seated up from the bed and put my feet on the side, quickly finding my sandals. I was dressed up in the smallest clothes I had in my room, which thankfully fit my body very well. I ran a hand through my now smoother hair which had fallen over my eyes so I pushed it to the side. I walked straight toward the mirror in my room.

I had to see my body for what it is now.

When I reached the mirror, the pink haired girl, now christened Lightning appeared in the reflection. I simply seated down on the ground, looking at my reflection touching my face which felt smoother underneath my fingers. My nose which had become smaller, my lips which were fuller…

Everything was so different than how I knew them.

Then I stared down at the crotch of my pants. Usually, my male reproductive organ was visible there, but it was an odd sensation of not feeling anything down here.

_I'm never going to get used to not having a penis._

I removed my shirt and threw it on the ground. I can feel the weight of my breasts, feeling my heart beating increased a little. I may be in a girl body, but I still got the mind of a teenage boy and the female anatomy always got a reaction out of us.

Okay Cloud, you are not a boy anymore, but even so, I had friends when I was a boy, friends who are going to wonder where I was gone to since only Zack knew that I was a girl now.

Am I really going to make that choice? Restart as a girl and make Cloud Strife vanish from the face of the earth?

I picked up the discarded shirt and threw it back on. My mom said she can do something about all of this. I feel a smile coming on. I still can't believe she saw me through this girl's body.

I guess for once, Zack was right about something.

But I still have to make a decision about it, about starting over as Lightning. Well, Sephiroth, Hojo, Yuna know that Lightning is Cloud's cousin something of my own doing. I still can't come out and say that I am Cloud Strife without sounding crazy.

I knew what I have to do.

When I got down the stairs a few hours later, I can smell breakfast cooking as my mother was putting plates upon the table. She looked up when I entered the kitchen.

"Good morning," she said.

"Hey mom," I answered her.

"Here, help yourself to something to eat," she said.

I obliged and took my usual seat and started pilling my plate.

"Mom, what was Tifa doing here yesterday?" I asked.

"She usually come and spend the day here," she answered me, "Since her school is not too far away from home like SHINRA is. By the way, you will be returning to that school."

I stared up at her, confused.

"What?"

"Even if you are a girl," my mother told me, "I will transfer you back into this school; after all, you're already familiar with it and the teachers."

"Mom, all my friends go to school there," I told her, "I can't face them like this…as a girl."

"They won't know the difference Cloud," she told me, waving the wooden spoon in the air, "To them you'll be just a transfer student. Nothing more, nothing less."

I put my head down back into my plate.

"You have made a decision right?" she asked me.

I nodded.

"Well, share."

"I'll live as Lightning Farron," I told her, "Cloud's cousin."

She gives me a nod.

"That's great," she said, "I've already plan it all out."

I looked at her, wanting to know what she had come up with. If there is one person that can think up of a foolproof plan in one night, it's the woman who had given birth to me.

"Since Lightning Farron doesn't exist I have come up with a history for you," she said, "You were home schooled."

I nodded at her.

"Most people will buy that," I said.

"Well, we can say that you were aunt Giselle's child," My mother said.

"Mom…Aunt Giselle passed away last year," I told her.

"I know that," she told me, a saddened look crossing her face, "but it's the only way it might work for you. After her death, you were left into my care and I decided to send you to the same school my son is going to."

I thought it over. It sounded exactly like something my mom would do if I actually had a cousin. Then, something occurred to me.

"Mom…what would happen to me…I mean, Cloud Strife? As far as the world is concerned, Lightning and Cloud are two different people."

"Cloud will move to Cocoon," she said, "And go to a private school there."

"Cocoon?" I repeated.

"Cocoon," my mother repeated.

I stayed silent for only a few moments.

"How long will it take for me to start again," I asked her.

My mother stayed there, thinking.

"I can have the papers by tomorrow," she said, "You can go back to school the day after that."

Two days before I face the world again.

It seems like a good way to start.

So I nodded, agreeing with her.

Later in the day, Zack and I were seating in my room. I was seating on my bed, and telling him everything that my mom had come up with. He was a little impressed with how fast my mom worked.

"So that's about it," I finished.

"So we only got two days before we're back at school again," he said.

I nodded.

"How do you feel about that?" he asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I agree with her. Going to a familiar place might make me want to forget about the drama for once, thought I'm sure Sephiroth isn't going to be as gullible as everyone."

That caused Zack to frown.

"What do you mean?"

I ran a hand through my hair.

"He knew I was lying to Hojo when I told him I was my cousin," I said, "He is probably going to be very suspicious. Considering how smart he is, I'm kind of scared that he will figure it out."

"Sephiroth may be smart," Zack said, "But that will be our advantage on him."

Okay, I was confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Is it not going to be possible for a guy to become a girl in a night," Zack said, "at least, without any supernatural genie involved, you see what I mean."

I shook my head.

"Cloud, he saw you that day you made the wish remember," he said, "When he was passing us in the hallway with his fangirls group. You simply disappeared after that and Lightning showed up, Cloud's cousin."

I remembered what he was saying very well considering it was a couple of days ago.

"Suspicious he may be about you," Zack said, "He can't prove how you are lying, plus I don't think he is going to tell anyone about it."

He was right about this.

"You're actually right," I told him.

Zack grinned.

"Well, I aim to please," he said, "Well, since you are a girl, you will get access into the girl's dorm so as a buddy, can you…"

"I will not be your peeping tom Zackary," I told him, crossing my arms defiantly.

Zack burst out laughter.

"I wasn't even thinking about that," he said, "Get your mind out of the gutter Strife."

"Sorry," I said with a slight smile, "I just thought you were going to ask me that."

"Can you get me on good term with Aerith?" he asked me.

I stared at him.

"Really Zack? You're actually asking me that?"

"C'mon man, be a friend here," he said.

I sighed.

Ever since freshman year, Zack here had got the biggest crush on Aerith Gainsborough. The girl is pretty in her own right and was sweet to everyone at school and she was respected through the school, which is probably why she became the school, Flower Girl.

"Just talk to the girl Zack," I told him, "You talk to a lot of girls."

"I know, but something about her just make me forget what I was saying," he said, "I just don't know how to act around her. What do I say? What do I do? She throws me completely off my game."

"Trust me Zack," I told her, "I talk to her a few times and she is a nice gall. You can get her to like you but become friends with her okay at least. Everyone in the school knows your name because of the pranks you and I pulled around so she might be a little stern with you but bear with it, you will mellow her up."

Zack give me a smile.

"Thanks Cloud,"

I give his shoulder a shove.

"Hey, you're my best friend," I told him, "This is what best friends do."

The days passed peacefully for the two of us. Tifa hadn't come over then, and I hadn't bothered on it much. My mother had taken me shopping for new clothes and had even taught me how to wear a bra, which was a _really_ weird experience for me.

My mother had also done my new papers to the school which had answered her that they had accepted me as Lightning Farron. We left the house and took the train back to the school.

I had made the decision to go back as Lightning Farron and continue my life. A decision that I knew that will change my life and see on the other side of the invisible line that separates the boys and the girls. I was already familiar with the boy's side, but now I will have to restart my life as a girl.

I just hope that it doesn't come crashing down around me if the secret ever came out.

**The decision had been made...what awaits in the future?**

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	8. My name is Lightning

**Hey guys, new update here enjoy**

Chapter Eight

My name is Lightning

Since my mother had already registered me in the school system. I knew I had to go to the Principal office so that I can find a dorm room there. Inwardly, I was glad that it was a week-end, meaning that I will be able to stay and put up my room as I see fit.

"Well here we are," Zack said, as we arrived in front of SHINRA Academy.

"Let's get this over with," I told him putting my bag on my shoulder.

We walked into the school, making our way toward the school's main building.

"Cloud, if I'm going to be wooing Aerith, you can't just randomly say that you are my girlfriend," Zack told me.

I gave him a glance.

"I thought I told you why I said that."

"I know," Zack said, "Just be careful about it. Since technically you're supposed to be Lightning, Cloud's cousin, and we're supposed to be just meeting each other."

I nodded at him.

"Even so, you're still my best friend," I told him.

"I know," Zack told me with a light grin, "Why do you think I am doing that…thought it will be quite a sight to see you in the girl's uniform."

I glared at him.

"You don't have to sound so thrilled about it. I know I am not."

Zack chuckled.

"C'mon, it's pretty funny if you think about it," he said.

"Why don't _you_ wear it," I told him, "That way the school and I can have a good laugh about it."

Zack shuddered a little.

"I'll be called a pervert and cross dresser by the entire school and my chance with Aerith will be nothing but a distant memory," he said, "I think I'll past."

"Then stop reminding me that I have to wear girl's clothes," I told him.

"Well…"

"I said _stop reminding me_," I told him.

I was currently dressed in some boy's attire, my smaller clothes. I wanted to enjoy my clothes a little longer since in my school days I'm going to have to wear the girl's school uniform.

"Sheesh, you don't have to be so cross about it you know," Zack told him shaking his head.

"_ZACK_," a voice yelled.

We both glanced up at the voice.

It was Yuffie, the young ninja girl. She was, surprisingly, dressed in her school uniform and ran straight toward us. She seemed to be upset about something.

"Yuffie," Zack said, "What's wrong?"

"Is it true what they said about Cloud moving to Cocoon?" she asked the boy, ignoring my presence completely.

"Where did you hear that?" Zack said, sounding surprised.

"Well, a minivan took his stuff from the boy's dorm," Yuffie told him, "Cid was the one who told me about it. So is it true?"

Zack give me a fugitive glance since I stayed silent, then he nodded.

"It's true," he said, "I…I had to see him off earlier this week."

Yuffie's entire body seemed to be trembling at that as she lowered her head. At first, I thought she was going to cry until…

"_CLOUD YOU BIG MEANNIE_," she yelled at the top of her voice.

Zack and I winced at how loud her voice was.

"He left without even saying goodbye or something," Yuffie said, stomping her feet on the ground, "When I get my hand on him…."

Then she left, grumbling under her breath, leaving both of us to stare after her.

At first I was slightly taken aback about her actions and then I was once again reminded that I wasn't Cloud Strife anymore. To her, I'm simply a complete stranger…not her friend for the past two years.

What Yuffie said however shock me to the core. I didn't say goodbye to anyone. Cloud Strife had moved to Cocoon, that's what the world knew except for my mother and Zack. He had moved away without a goodbye to his friends…

I shook my head. I didn't want to finish that train of thoughts.

"Let's get to the Principal office," I told him.

Zack simply nodded at me.

We reached where the office was situated and the black plate reading GYLENTH DYSLEY on the door. I knocked and the elderly voice answered, "Enter,"

"See you," Zack said, taking a seat.

I give him a nod before stepping inside.

Considering how many pranks I had pulled on the school grounds, I can say that I have been in this room more times than I could count. It looked relatively the same every time that I had been in here. A shelf in the corner was filled with books. A large mahogany desk filled in the middle as few papers lied upon the desk and the man himself was seating upon the large red chair.

He was always dressed in strange robes, which gave him an air of being an old priest. I always wondered if he used to be one when he was younger. The man turned his attention toward me as I entered the room and an half smirk crossed his lips.

"Ah, yes Miss Farron," he said, "Take a seat."

I approached and seated upon the black seat facing his desk.

"I have reviewed your dossier," he said, glancing down at the files in front of him, "I`m surprised that you have never gone to an public school in your life…this must be a life changing experience for you."

"Er…yes," I answered him.

Dysley leaned back against his chair.

"Your cousin had been the torn of my side ever since his first year into this school," he said looking straight at me, "He is not a bad kid, but he seems to find his calling into planning mischief and pranks all over my school."

I bit on my lip to stop me from chuckling. Seems I had made a reputation for myself. It`s a great honor as a master prankster to be recognized for his work.

"For that, I`ll give you a fair warning Miss Farron," he said, staring at me straight in the eyes, "This school is an establishment for learning, not mischief. Your cousin, despite my many warnings simply ignored me and continued to cause troubles. It`s lucky for him that he transferred to another school in Cocoon..."

I frowned slightly.

_Lucky? _

"I hope that his bad genes haven`t grown into the family tree," he continued, "I hope you will set a good example during your stay here."

I simply nodded.

"Good," he said, "You will be taking an aptitude test, that way I can guarantee what level you are and what class you should take. This test will take place tomorrow morning at 10 o`clock. I expect some of your classmates will guide you to room 204 where the test will take place."

I nodded at him.

"Your aunt had sent the school your measurements before hands and that way we were able to purchase you the school uniform which is mandatory as long as you are on school grounds. That way, you will be recognized as a student here."

I nodded again. _Sheesh_ just get it _moving_ already.

As if someone up there had heard my prayer, someone knocked on the door. Dysley stood up from his seat and said, "Enter."

The door opened and someone entered the room causing me to turn toward it. It was Yuna, dressed in her uniform. Her bi colored eyes found me seating there and I was glad to notice that she recognized me as her eyes widen slightly.

"Yuna, right on time," Dysley said.

"You need me for something Headmaster?" Yuna asked.

_Ah, Yuna always so polite_, I thought to myself.

"Yes Yuna," Dysley said, "Miss Farron here need a guide to the dorms. I wonder if you will help her find her way."

"Of course Headmaster," Yuna said giving a slight bow, "It will be my pleasure."

"Good," Dysley said before turning toward me.

"You might want to follow her," he said.

I quickly stood up and walked toward Yuna giving her a smile, one she returned.

"Lastly Miss Farron," Dysley called, drawing my attention back toward him, "Remember room 204 ten o`clock tomorrow."

"Yes Headmaster," I answered.

After that the both of us stepped outside of the room.

"I swear another second in there, I would have blown up," I sighed.

Yuna giggled.

"You don`t like the Headmaster do you?"

"It`s not that I don`t like him," I told her, "He is just talking about m…my cousin like it`s his fault about everything bad that happened in this school."

"Yeah, Cloud caused much problems when he was still here," Yuna said, "He must be expecting you to be the same."

At that a small smirk worked its way on my lips. I can always pull pranks as Lightning just as well as I did when I was still Cloud. I glanced around the area we were in, in confusion. I was sure Zack was seating there when I went in.

"What is it?" Yuna asked me.

"Zack was supposed to be waiting for me here," I said.

"Well, the School Depute caught him there earlier," Yuna said, "It must have something to do with the days he skipped."

Oh. Well, Zack wherever you are, I`ll always remember this.

Yuna led me straight toward the girl`s dorm where I`ll be staying for a long time if I dare say so myself. We stepped inside finding a group of girls seating by the living room playing some sort of game which look remarkably similar to poker, with many girl`s stuffs piled up in the middle of the table.

"Are they playing poker?"

Yuna stared at the group.

"They are usually playing for cosmetics and other stuffs," she said, shaking her head, "Sometimes I find it best to just accept it as a part of a normal high school life."

We walked up toward the stairs and continued down an unfamiliar corridor, the opposite direction from where Yuna`s room was situated.

"Your things are already in your room," Yuna told me, "The Dorm Keeper is the one that have your key so we`ll visit her office first."

The Dorm Keeper office was widely different than the one we had in the boy`s dorm. For once, it was much cleaner and well taken care of, missing the graffiti that the boy`s side had in the windows probably from the many years of delinquents this school had before. Yuna knocked upon the door before entered and I followed her.

The woman at the desk looked up.

"Yuna what brings you here?" she asked.

"Lightning here will need her room key," Yuna said.

"The new student," she said, looking straight at me with an unnerving gaze, "Your room is at the end of the corridor, number 15. Here are your keys and I hope you enjoy your time here."

I took the key from her.

"Don`t lose it or you`ll have to pay ten gils to remake it," she told me.

_Rip off, _I thought shaking my head.

Yuna led me back into the corridor again.

"She seems friendly," I said.

"Well, that`s one a good day," Yuna told me, "She is usually a cold hearted…"

Whatever Yuna was about to say died in her lips as we rounded the corner. Her eyes widened in shock at whatever she was looking at which caused me to look forward also…

And my jaw simply dropped.

On the wall not too far away from us, two girls were locked into a passionate kiss. I can feel a blush working its way upon my cheeks as a shamelessly stared at both girls and I swear I could hear a moan coming from where they are.

I quickly put a hand upon my nose, feeling for blood which probably would be dripping from them at the moment.

_Am I really seeing this?_ I thought, _I just walked into a pervert`s wet dream…and it`s getting _really _hot over here. I can see the girl`s bra…_

The dark haired one which was pinning the other against the wall had her hand up her…partner…shirt and was fondling her breast…

_Damn, is this real?_

__**Into what kind of world this Cloud stepped into?**

**Next time: **New Student, kinda?

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	9. New Student, Kinda

**Hey guys, after a such a long time, here is the next chapter of this story...**

**Hope you enjoy**

Chapter Nine

New Student, _Kinda_

_HOLY SHIT!_

Am I actually seeing this taking place right in front of me? Damn, where is a camera when you need one. From beside me, I heard Yuna let out a sigh from the corner of my eyes, I saw her pinching her nose.

_She is acting as if she is used to seeing this? _I thought frowning.

"FANG," Yuna yelled.

The two girls that were kissing suddenly jumped apart from each other as if being struck by lightning. The one with the dark hair quickly turned toward us, her eyes wide with shock and terror…

"Oh, it's just you," she said, her face going back to normal.

Yuna actually looked pissed. Wow, never thought I`ll see that one day.

"_How many_ times have I told you to take your girls back into your room with you?" she said, "What if it was the Dorm Keeper?"

"That old bimbo simply hates me because she isn`t getting any," Fang said, "She suspended me last week for something stupid…"

"You were _doing it_ in her office," Yuna snapped at her.

Fang smirked. She was actually…_Holy shit_, for a girl, she either got some serious balls…or she is simply lost a few screws in the head.

"That`s what she get for not looking the door," she said.

Yuna sighed.

"Honestly," she said, "You`re as bad as Cloud."

I perked up at that. _How_ is that girl as bad as me? I don`t go around kissing other guys in public.

Fang chuckled.

"Please," she said, "All Cloud is good for is making a fool out of himself. Heard he left the school…a good riddance I might say."

Okay, this bitch is taking it _waaay_ out of hand. I can feel a boiling anger growing to inside me as she said that. No one, I mean, _no one_ can badmouth me like this and get away with it.

"_Care to say that again_?" I growled out.

Fang`s eyes were now upon me. Then she blinked, as if realizing I was just there. Then I saw her mouth drop slightly taking me in, her eyes going down…

_What the hell_…is she checking me out?

Then a grin crossed her face.

"_Hello beautiful_," she purred walking forward.

She arrived right in front of me. We were about the same height but her skin tone was darker than I thought it would, her green eyes taking me in as the grin on her face grew a little predatory. It was like she was a predator and I was the prey.

But I wasn`t going to be anyone`s prey that`s for sure.

"_You got a problem_?" I coldly asked.

"Yeah," Fang said, "I have problem remembering your name."

I crossed my arms and turned my head away from her, tching in the process. Was that a pick up line or something?

"She is Lightning Farron," Yuna said, doing the introductions, "She is a new student starting today. Lightning, this is Fang the Dorm`s resident player."

_Yuna, sometimes you`re too polite for your own good, _I thought to myself.

"Lightning Farron huh," Fang said, "Well, it is a unique name no doubt. No wonder I haven`t seen your face around here before,"

She put a hand on my cheek drawing my attention back to her.

"I would have definitely remembered such a pretty face," she purred again.

I raised an eyebrow.

_A player indeed, _I thought to myself.

"Are you done?" I asked her, "I need to get to my room."

A shocked look crossed Fang`s face. I simply pushed past her and continued to walk forward, leaving her staring at my back. Heck, I didn`t know what I did to have her shut up, but I was damn proud of myself. I arrived in front of the door and used my key to unlock it and stepped inside.

I closed the door behind me and glanced around the room. What a downer, the room looked exactly like the boy`s side was. Well, the buildings were of the same design so it was obvious to that they will stay the same but even so, it is such a downer…

What was I expecting anyway?

It was then that my phone decided to ring. I pulled it out and answered it.

"Hello,"

"_Cloud?"_

I blinked.

"Zack?"

"_Yep, the one and only,"_ the voice of my best friend told me, "_where are you anyway? I went back to Dysley`s office but you weren`t there anymore."_

"I`m at the dorm actually," I told him, "Yuna brought me here…and Zack you won`t believe what I just witnessed."

"_What?_"

"Well, those two girls were making out in the hallway…," I started.

I heard him spat out something and he yelled.

"_WHAT THE HELL_?"

"_Not so loud Zack_," I murmured putting the phone away from my ear, "Is it really that surprising?"

"_Was one of those girls named Fang?_" he asked.

I blinked, surprised.

"How did you know?"

"_She is a chick magnet," _Zack told me, "_Well, she was the one Genesis was kind of mad about when he was still top ladies man. Turned out, Fang stole one of girlfriend in the past…but damn, I can`t believe you get to see all the good stuff."_

Well, this was new information about Fang, and the girl had just tried to flirt with me earlier back in the hallway so that didn`t truly surprise me.

"Well, since I am in my room, I`m going to try to put some order in there," I said, "Can we meet later?"

Suddenly a voice came from the background.

"_Zackary, I got something to talk to you about?"_

I heard Zack sigh over the phone.

"_Can`t that wait?"_

"_No, the whole gang want to talk to you about Cloud moving away," _the familiar voice continued.

I let out a sharp gasp at this.

"_I`m on the phone," _Zack said, and I can hear the annoyance in his voice, "_We will talk later."_

"_Just hurry up," _the voice said.

"_Okay," _Zack said sighing before returning his attention toward me, "_Sorry about that Cloud."_

I sighed.

"Don`t worry about it," I told him, "But that was Barret isn`t it?"

"_Yeah," _he said, "_So what do you want me to tell them?"_

I sat down on the ground beside one of my bags.

"I don't know," I told him truthfully, "Didn`t seems like I was thinking straight about the plan so far. I didn`t think about all of those…possibilities."

"_Heck, I`ll be surprised if no one got curious that you suddenly left,"_ Zack said, "_But it will die down as the days go by."_

"Probably," I told him, running a hand through my hair.

"_Don`t worry about it Cloud," _he said, "_Things will work themselves out."_

I let out a chuckle. Leave it to Zack to try to stay positive about things.

"I`m sure they will," I said, "Just don`t tell them much about me…as Lightning I mean. Only say what my mother planned."

"_Sure I`ve got your back," _he said, "_I`ll call you later okay."_

"Talk to you later Zack," I said.

He hung the phone up and I snapped mine shut, sighing and leaning my head against the wall. I never truly think on how this will affect me. Sure, the plan had sounded easy just mapping it out but actually doing it is another thing entirely by what happened.

Yuffie didn`t recognize me earlier as Lightning, and that hurt me more than I had thought. I was her friend for two years and hung out with her a lot and I even had her number on my phone but I can`t call her for she won`t recognize my voice as it is now.

"This is insane," I murmured.

"No doubt," another voice said.

I literally jumped from where I was seating. Heck, I wasn`t even aware that someone was in the room with me. I glanced at the voice, finding Fang seating on the chair by the empty room desk.

"How…When did you get in here?"

"The door was open," Fang said, "and I have been in here for a while. Sound like you was having a serious conversation."

I stared at her. She heard what I was talking about?

"So you`re Cloud cousin eh?" she said.

"How did you…?"

"Yuna told me about it," Fang said, smirking, "Which is probably why you looked like you wanted to pick a fight with me earlier…sorry about that, I didn`t know you two were related."

"Oh," I said.

Fang stared at me, her green eyes sparkling.

"If I knew Cloud had just a pretty cousin, I would have befriended him earlier," she said.

"You really are a flirt aren`t you," I deadpanned.

"I try," she said standing up, "So, that Zack guy, was he your boyfriend or something?"

I stared at him.

"Zack? No of course not," I said, "He is my best friend."

A look of relief showed on Fang`s face.

"Good," she said, "That way I have no competition."

I slammed my palm against my forehead.

_Is she freaking serious? _I thought.

When I stared back at her face, it was dead serious. I must admit, Fang is an attractive girl on her own, and I can see why girls fell in love with her….but too bad I`m not just an ordinary girl.

"Then leave," I told her.

"C`mon Light," she said, "I just want to be your friend."

"Like I`ll believe that," I told her, "Just get out Fang, I need some time to fix my room."

Her eyes lit up.

"Oh, you want some help?" she asked.

"No," I snapped pushed her back out of the room and closing the door behind her, leaning into it.

I heard her laugh from the other side.

"Don`t worry Sunshine," she said, probably leaning against the door, "I`ll make you mine."

I chuckled. Seriously this girl doesn`t know when to give up does she?

"Keep dreaming."

I spend the remaining afternoon fixing my room and putting up my favorite movies posters and athletes. I had it roughly similar to how my room used to look back in the boy`s dorm except it was a lot cleaner than it used to be.

Sighing, I walked toward my bed and lied there.

I feel my eyes closing and sleep overtake me entirely.

The next thing I knew when I woke up was that something was bright in my face. I groaned, opening my eyes seeing a bright yellow light coming from outside the window. I seated up, groaning softly and glanced out toward the window noticing that it was the sun rising…

_How long was I asleep? _I thought.

I seated up, feeling my phone slid to my side. I glanced at it seeing that I had three missed calls and a few messages. I flipped it open and checked them.

_From Zack:_

_Hey Cloud, told the guys about you leaving…some of them are kind of mad about it…I told them about Lightning…seems Yuffie want to apologize about something so be on the lookout for her…_

I glanced at the time it was send. 7: 55 P.M.

I didn`t bother checking the others as I glanced at the time seeing that it was ten minutes till ten o`clock. I kept glancing at the time wondering why it seems so important. There was something I was supposed to be doing around that time I thought, but what it could be it slipped from my head.

I walked straight toward the bathroom in the room and I found my female self staring back at me from the mirror. My hair was in a mess and my eyes still looked bloodshot. I can`t believe I sleep the entire time.

Knock-Knock.

_Who could that be? _I thought to myself.

I made my way toward the door, still brushing my teeth and opened the door. Yuna was standing in the doorway, and she stared at me as if she couldn`t believe what I was doing.

"You just woke up?" she asked.

I nodded.

"You`re late you know," she said.

I blinked at her, in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your aptitude test you have to take today so they could decided what grade you`re going to be in," Yuna told me, "Headmaster Dysley spoke to you about it yesterday."

I froze as Dysley`s voice echoed through my head.

_Remember Miss Farron ten o`clock tomorrow, room 204._

FUUUUUUUCK!

**And so end this chapter. Hope you have enjoyed Fang`s appearance. Sorry for the long wait, since i don`t get around to write a lot anymore...But I`ll continue this story, but it will have a waiting time.**

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	10. Farewell from Cloud

**Hey guys, here is a new chapter...Hope you enjoy, and sorry for the long wait to update.**

**R&R**

Chapter Ten

Farewell from Cloud

I was running through the courtyard of the school, after messily throwing some clothes on. It was a bright Saturday morning, and all that cheerfulness in the air, I feel like it was mocking me considering I am freaking late.

I can`t believe I actually forgot about it, but then again, I never actually paid attention to Dysley before in the past when I was still Cloud so nothing is really new to me…well, except now I am not Cloud Strife anymore.

I am a girl, named Lightning Farron running through a school aiming straight for the main building that was quickly approaching toward me. I gave my phone a glance seeing that it was already ten o`clock with two minutes passed.

_Dysley is not going to let me hear the end of that one, _I thought to myself.

Just when I was arriving toward the front door with my hand raised to open it, the door was thrown open from the inside, colliding straight into my face. I was knocked backward, rolling down the stairs, with the world spinning for a while before I landed straight on my back…

Everything was hurting me right now, and something was pocking me in the back causing me to wince slightly.

"I`m sorry," a voice said, "Are you alright Miss?"

"Ouch," I said seating up, feeling pain rezoning through my body.

"Here let me help you," the voice said again.

I seen a hand comes up in my vision and I took it. The mysterious stranger pulled me up from the ground. He was pretty strong and I can smell cologne coming from him…which smelled quite familiar…

I looked up toward the person to thank him for helping me up…but my eyes widened…noticing that it wasn`t a stranger at all. The person looked at me and I can see recognition appearing in his green eyes.

"You," Sephiroth said, "What are you doing here?"

"That`s my line," I answered him.

Sephiroth`s eyes suddenly fixed upon mines and I can feel his intrusive gaze trying to pierce into my brain to find out what secrets it holds. Sorry pal, but you`re not a mind reader.

"It`s rude to stare you know," I told him.

"Sephiroth, is she alright?" another voice asked.

Genesis Rhapsodos, the school number one poet was standing there. He had red hair, and was wearing his signature red coat upon him. I don`t think I ever saw him without it before back when I was Cloud.

"I hope you aren`t hurt bad fair maiden," he said talking to me, "It was my fault for in my anger, I have hurt such a pretty rose like yourself."

And there is the Genesis I know, always trying to serenade the girls around schools by talking like people from the last century.

"I`m not hurt," I told him.

"What are you doing here?" Sephiroth asked me, bringing my attention back to him.

"I go to school here now," I told him.

"Sephiroth," Genesis pipped up, "You know her?"

The silver haired teen sighed softly.

"Not exactly," he said, "She is the one I told you about."

I give him a stare. You don`t strike me as someone who would gossip Sephiroth. But whatever he said, Genesis`s eyes widened slightly.

"Oh, the girl that fell from the window," he said, "I must say, it`s quite great to meet you…"

I picked up my phone from the ground and glanced at it.

10: 15 stared back up at me in bright glowing numeric letters. I quickly tried to past the two of them, but someone pulled on my hand causing me to look back.

Sephiroth was still holding my hand.

_Don`t tell me he never let go?_

I stared up into his green eyes again, frowning a little.

"What?"

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I`m taking an exam today," I told her, "and I am already late, so I have to go…_and let go of my hand_."

I pulled it out of his long fingered hand, before entering inside the main building. I swear I could still feel his gaze upon my back. He is going to be a major problem to me in the near future I can just feel it…

I shook my head.

This isn`t the time to worry about that, I have a freaking test to take. I quickly ran up the stairs and arrived on the second floor, and arrived in front of my destination.

I turned the handle and stepped inside.

The room was empty and a man was seating upon a desk in a corner working upon some papers. I stared around in confusion before walking forward toward the seated man.

"Er…excuse me,"

"You are late," he said without looking up from what he was doing.

I glanced at the clock and saw that it read 10: 20.

"Sorry, I kind of forgot that I was supposed to come here," I told him.

"Well at least you came," he said looking up toward me.

His eyes stared at me from behind his glasses. He was familiar in a way, but his name was way over my head since I couldn`t remember it.

"You are Lightning Farron correct," he said.

"Yes," I told him.

He glanced down toward his papers again.

"Home schooled since you were a young child," he said, reading the papers in front of me, "Since your mother`s death you`ve been living with your aunt, Jinelle Strife and your cousin Cloud Strife isn`t that right?"

"Yes sir," I told him.

He hummed and nodded at me as he gathered a few papers in front of him and handed them to me.

"Here is your test and you have two hours to finish it," he told me.

I took the papers from him and took a seat upon an empty desk. I stared at the bolds words that were staring up at me.

**STUDENT PLACEMENT TEST**, SHINRA ACADEMY

I wrote my name at where I am supposed to write it and opened the test booklet and started upon my two hours work. There were a lot of questions and I answered them to the best of my abilities.

I glanced up toward where the man was seating and he was working upon his papers, occasionally pushing his glasses up his nose as he sometime write on papers and shaking his head a little. He was probably grading papers or something.

I returned my attention back toward my test again and continued to work upon them. Most of them were generic questions and since I was familiar with them, I was sure I answered them right.

Time passed slowly during a test, it always did. I didn`t get why but it was something that always bugged me. When it`s a normal class day, you don`t know when the time had gone just you knew that the time flew by in a speed that was almost impressive.

But when it`s a test, it slowed down and it made you realize how long a minute actually is. I did it before, and a minute was actually longer than you think it is…

I sighed, rubbing my eyes as I refocused upon my test, and continued to work and before I knew it, the test had come to an end.

"Done?" the familiar man asked again, seeing me putting the papers back together.

I nodded at him as I stood up, and I can feel my spine cracking a little as I stretched. I had been seating there for two straight hours.

"Here," I said to him handing him the papers.

He took them from me.

"Your schedule will be send to you on Monday," he told me, "you`ll know then what grade level you will be in. You`re free to go now and it will be a good idea to use your week-end to familiar yourself with the premises."

I nodded at him.

_Yeah, as if that`s going to happen, I know this school like the back of my hand._

Leaving the room, I walked out of the school building and was going down the steps when a voice called out.

"Hey, Miss,"

I turned toward it, finding Yuffie running toward me. Zack had told me in a text that she was looking for me…I wonder for what…

"Hey Yuffie," I said.

She stopped in front of me, breathing a little hard and then she stood straight up looking at me.

"How did you know my name?"

I opened my mouth.

_Ah crap, I forgot I was a girl, _I thought in panic, _quick, think of something…_

"Ah…Well, yesterday Zack told me who you were after you talked to him," I said, "but…Cloud kind of told me about his friends before..."

"Really?" Yuffie said, "What did he say about me?"

Okay, from her tone, I swore if I was my old self, I will be sweating bullets. Heck, I am a girl and I am still sweating bullets.

"W…Well, he called you…a ninja sometimes."

The ominous air around the young dark haired girl disappeared suddenly causing me to blink. She had a sunny smile on her face now, which was really confusing.

"Well," she said, "Zack told us about you yesterday…and I`m so sorry about ignoring yesterday afternoon…It`s just I was so mad that Cloud suddenly disappeared."

I gave a strange chuckle…_not_ giggle…a _chuckle_.

"My cousin does that sometimes," I answered her.

Yuffie gave me a grin, before staring straight at me.

"You know…I didn't know Cloud had a cousin," she said, "I knew him for two years and he never talk about you."

_Well Yuffie, I didn`t have a cousin two weeks ago, _I thought in my head.

"W…Well, we weren`t close," I told her, "Sure we talked sometimes over the phone but other than that…"

I ended that with a shrug.

"Well, since you`re related to Cloud that practically make us family," Yuffie told me taking hold of my hands and shaking them in excitement, "You have to hang out with us okay. I`m sure the rest of the guys will surely feel the same way."

"O…Okay I will," I told her.

Yuffie gave me a sunny smile again before taking off.

"Well I have to go okay," she told me, "See you at school."

She started to run.

"Say Yuffie…were you actually mad that I…I mean, Cloud left?" I asked her.

She turned toward me.

"Well, I was mad at first," she said, "But now…I feel kinda sad that I won`t be seeing him again. This school is going to be so boring now that he is gone…well, gotta run."

She ran off leaving me standing there watching her back. She was right, now that Cloud Strife had left the school, they won`t be anyone to step out of the line and draw out a few laughs…

A smirk crossed my face.

_Maybe not so, _I thought pulling out my phone dialing Zack`s number.

"_Hey," _he told me.

"Zack, how about we give this school a wakeup call," I asked him.

I heard him chuckle.

"_What do you have in mind?" _he asked me.

My grin just continued to grow.

"Just a little something…here is what we`re going to do…,"

* * *

**Later that evening…**

The entire school was now getting back into their dorms as curfew come to a close. Everyone were moving back into their rooms when the P.E. system suddenly crackled with statics drawing people`s attention confused at why they would be an announcement so late at night.

"_Good evening ladies and gentlemen," _a gruff voice said, echoing all around the school, _"This is your resident trouble maker, the handsome Cloud Strife speaking. I am sure the news of my untimed departure had reached you all…So I prepared something for you all."_

Yuffie had a shocked look on her face.

"Cloud?" she whispered.

In his room, Sephiroth looked up from what he was reading, his green eyes showing curiosity.

"_I want everyone in the school to come to the school main ground around let`s say a few seconds before curfew is in effect. After all, we wouldn`t want to get in trouble now do we. Think of it as a good farewell from your beloved Cloud."_

There was a snicker.

"_That will be all,"_ the gruff voice said before the voice was cut off.

Few minutes after that, students were all running out of the school, wanting to know what was going on as they converse to themselves about Cloud until a large boom echoed across the sky. Then fireworks started to color the entire dark sky above them.

They were cheers at the fireworks and a voice beside Sephiroth chuckled.

"He is at it again," Genesis said.

"I guess the school just won`t be the same without our local celebrity," the silver haired young man said.

The two continued to watch the Fireworks as the cheers continued to echo across the lawn.

**Hey chapter 10 is finished.**

**Hope you have enjoyed it.**

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	11. Back to school

**Hey guys, here is another chapter in this fic.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter Twelve

Back to School

I hold the envelope in front of my face. Inside of it, lay my new schedule which means, the level I am going to be in the school. Well, when I was Cloud, I was on my last year meaning I was about to graduate soon. I was supposed to receive that later today, but I have gotten it last night.

I couldn't open it so I decided to wait so that I can learn my fate on Monday morning what I woke up…but I couldn't wait all that long so, I woke up earlier than usual to open it.

_Alright, no pressure, _I thought.

Carefully I pulled out the sticker that holds it closes and then, pulled the piece of paper that was my schedule and that also hold my fate in this school.

I read the paper in front of me.

_NAME: Farron, Lightning Grade: 11_

I froze, watching the black in white words in front of me…

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_," I yelled falling on my knees, yelling at the ceiling.

My door was thrown open and Fang was there, dressed in her pajamas brandishing a broom, and glancing looking around for anyone other than me.

"Lightning," she said, "What's wrong?"

"I…I…,"

She kneeled in front of me.

"What is it?"

"I'm not a senior," I said, sounding close to tears.

Fang stared at me as if she couldn't believe what I just said. She then started to a laugh putting the broom down.

"Seriously," she said, shaking her head, "That's what you're worried about?"

"B…but I was supposed to be a Senior," I said in a small voice.

"Well, I am supposed to graduate already," Fang said, "you don't hear me complaining."

I suddenly glanced up at her.

"What?"

She suddenly gave me a hug.

"Don't cry now Sunshine," she said, her hands wandering south, "Let Fang take care of you now."

I slammed a punch on the top of her head.

"_Where do you think your hands going_?" I said, glaring at the girl.

She was smiling as she seated on the ground.

"Not my fault you're sex on legs Farron," she grinned, giving me a wink.

I put a hand on my face.

_Seriously, that girl…,_

"Fang, leave Lightning alone," a familiar voice said.

Yuna was standing in the doorway, dressed in super short shorts and a white shirt. She had her arms crossed as she stared at the dark haired girl.

"Oh, hey Yuna," I greeted.

"Morning, Yuna," Fang greeted from where she sat on the ground.

The girl shook her head.

"You just can't leave her alone?" Yuna said, "It's too early for this you know that right."

"Well, not my fault Farron screamed bloody murder this early in the morning," Fang said smirking a little.

Yuna stepped inside the room, giving it a glance. She raised her eyebrows a little at how I decorated my room and I swear I can see that she was already judging it.

"What?" I asked.

Yuna shook her head.

"Your room is very…_boyish_," she said.

Fang who was now standing up glanced around.

"Wow, this is similar to how my room look," she said, "Well except I have poster of hot females celebrities on the wall."

Well, I had decorated it similar to how my room was back in my dorm when I was still a boy. Thank Goodness that Yuna or Fang never saw it before or it will be a dead ringer that I was the male Cloud Strife…or I simply have similar taste as my _cousin_.

"I didn't need any ringer to know your preferences Fang," I told her, "and Yuna, I like the way my room look."

She shrugged.

"Well, whatever you like," she said, "Oh, I see that you've got your schedule, let me see."

Before I could say anything, the girl snatched it out of my hand and was analyzing it.

"Hey, you have the same third period as I do," she said.

I blinked.

"Really?"

"You didn't read it yet?" Yuna asked

"I wasn't too interested in what class I have," I told her truthfully, "More interested in what grade I am in."

"You're in a year lower than me," she said, "That would mean I am your sempai."

_Yuna-sempai, _I thought, _that sound cute._

I couldn't help but chuckle…not _giggle…_a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she asked, giving me a curious look.

"Nothing,"

Without warning, she tackled me.

I was shocked that Yuna actually _tackled_ me taking me by the waist and pulled me toward the bed. I lied there, staring at the girl above me as she sat on my stomach.

"C'mon, I want in on the private joke, tell me," she said, staring straight down at me with a light smirk on her face.

Is it wrong to say that I was getting turn on by this? I can smell her sweet perfume, feel her naked legs touching mines, and her lips were slightly parted as her bi-colored eyes observed me carefully.

Guess I am still a boy on the inside.

"If you don't tell me I'm going to tickle it out of you," she said.

I was quickly brought down from my horny world…I blinked in confusion.

_She's going to do what?_

The attack came so quick that I had no time to prepare for it. Yuna was relentless as she started to tickle me. Well, sad to say, I was laughing my damn head off as I tried to get away from her but her legs seems to pin me down where I was as she continued her attack.

"Yuna…HAHAHAHA…S…BWAHAHAHA,"

"Say Uncle and tell me the joke," Yuna yelled.

"_No_," I yelled.

"Then I won't stop till you say Uncle," Yuna cried out as she continued her relentless tickling attack.

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Fang coming closer a wide grin upon her face as she raised her hand.

"Let's all tickle punish sunshine," she said, pouncing forward like a cat.

"No, Fang," I said punching forward hitting her square in the face.

She fell down on the ground beside my bed and well, I couldn't do nothing but continue to laugh as Yuna continued to tickle me.

"Say it," she said.

"_HAHAHAHA_,"

"_WILL YOU GIRLS BE QUIET_," a voice snapped from the entrance of the room.

Yuna sprung from where she was, taken aback by the voice and I seated up. There standing in front of my door was the Dorm Keeper. She was dressed in her nightgown. She had a frown on her face as she stared at us all.

"I hear a yell and come to investigate but I never expected to find your three horsing around this early in the morning," she said, "They are people that are still sleeping here, and you' guys have school tomorrow."

"We'll leave," Yuna said, "Sorry again for causing too much noise."

"I don't want to hear any more noise coming from here is that clear?" she said.

"Yes ma'am,"

She then closed the door leaving us inside. The three of us stared at each other and broke down into small laughs.

"I didn't know you are a screamer sunshine," Fang said, giving me a suggestive grin.

"_Gee_, thanks for the sexual innuendo," I said sarcastically.

The girl laughed.

"At least I know what to expect when we're getting down and dirty," she inquired.

"Do you have to be so vulgar when you speak?" Yuna said, her cheeks blushing.

Fang simply blew her a kiss.

"Guys," I said, "The Keeper is right. We have classes later today so we might want to go to bed."

"Don't be such party pooper sunshine," Fang said, "Why don't we have a sleep-over or something?"

"Not on your life Fang," I told her, giving her a glare.

"Lightning is right," Yuna said, "We need to go back to our rooms, tomorrow is going to be Lightning's first day of school. She needs to place a good image."

Fang simply laughed.

"Whatever," she said.

But she had stood up from where she sat and followed Yuna out of the room. But as she turned around glancing toward me again.

"What?"

"Nice bras, that you have here sunshine," she said giving my chest a glance.

I glanced down, noticed that the buttoned shirt that I was wearing had opened up, showing the top of my chest and I quickly covered it up. I glowered up at the other girl before slamming the door on her face.

I sighed a little, shaking my head. Fang's teasing was starting to become kind of annoying. I was just glad that she hadn't caught me getting turned on when Yuna was seating on me earlier…

* * *

The day came quick as I was dressing myself up into the…dare I say it…girl uniform. This would be the first time I will dress up as a girl and I must say…

_It's weird wearing a skirt, _I thought, _Not strange, just weird._

The girl uniform was really simple. While the guys simply wore dark pants and a white buttoned shirt, with a tie and along a jacket in the winter, the girl's were more…complicated.

The skirt was a black knee-length, and I was also wearing a white buttoned shirt. But it also had a form fitting blouse on top of it. It had a cream color, wearing the school coat and arms.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror that was in my closet, turning around fully.

_I never thought I'll be saying this but, I look good in a skirt._

A gave a wink and a smile as my reflection imitated me then I froze…

_What the hell am I doing?_

I shook my head and quickly put my shoes on as someone knocked on my door.

"Enter," I said.

Yuna opened it and poke her head in.

"Hey Lightning c'mon," she said, "You're going to miss breakfast if you stay here any longer."

I nodded at her and picked up the brand new bag that my mother brought for me and stepped out of the room following Yuna. The girl in question was taking me in.

"You look good," she said, "The uniform suits you."

"It feels weird," I said telling her my god honest opinion.

"Maybe it's because you're not used to wearing the uniform yet," she said.

_Oh Yuna, if you only knew…_

We descended down the stairs and out of the dorms. They were other students walking away heading up toward the main school building. Everyone was wearing their uniform.

"Morning Zachary," Yuna greeted, "What are you doing here?"

I snapped my head toward where Yuna was greeting at. There standing with a large grin on his face was good old Zack. He was standing at the bottom of the stone steps of the dorm and he was looking up straight toward us.

_What the hell is he doing here?_

"Hello _ladies_," he said, giving me a meaningful glance.

That's it. I'm going to strangle him with his own tie.

But alas, I couldn't act on those feelings right now since Yuna was there. To her, I was just simply another normal girl. I tightened my hands upon my bag.

"I was simply waiting for Lightning here," he said, "She is new to the school I wanted to show her around."

_Like I will believe that Zack._

"Oh," Yuna said, giving him a smile, "I'll appreciate it since I don't have the same class with her today. You're going to make a lot of new friends here right Lightning?"

Since Yuna turned toward me, she didn't see Zack biting his own lips so that the laugh that he was holding in didn't escape. I gave her a soft smile.

"Just Light will be fine," she said.

"Great let's go," Yuna said walking forward.

Me and Zack let her walk forward as the young man stood beside me.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" I asked him.

"Oh, yeah," Zack let out.

"Why do you enjoy my torture so much?" I asked him.

"I just wanted to see you in the girl's uniform Cloud old buddy," he whispered, "I must say, you're wearing it like a pro."

"Shut up before I murder you in front of everyone," I growled at him.

"Relax," he said patting my shoulder, "You'll be fine."

"Teasing me isn't helping Zack," I told him.

"But it's so much fun," he laughed out.

I punched him the in face.

"Now that's mean."

"You deserved it,"

We've arrived inside the building and made our way into the school's cafeteria. They weren't as much as many people as it would have during lunch but I was grateful for it.

"This is the cafeteria," Yuna said, "At least it's easier for you to come here."

I nodded at her, and we went to get our breakfast from the open buffet they have. Yeah, you heard me right. Guess Shinra is just that rich to have a buffet like breakfast every morning.

I didn't eat as much as I normally would, since nerves were starting to settle in, and before I knew it, the bell had started to ring and the rest of the students started to stand up, walking out of the cafeteria. I stood up along with Zack and Yuna.

"My class is far away so I'll have to go now if I don't want to be late," Yuna said.

"Don't worry Yuna, I'll take her to her class," Zack told her with a wave.

"Zachary…," Yuna started.

"I will be on my best behavior so no worries," the young man told her with a smile, "Hurry or you'll be late."

Yuna nodded and turned toward me.

"Zack will tell you where to go…I'm sorry I couldn't get to walk you to class."

I gave her a smile. Yuna was truly a kind girl.

"I'll be fine," I told her, "Maybe I'll get lucky."

"Just don't be late okay Light," she told me giving me a little hug.

Before I could return it, she was already walking away leaving me along with Zack.

"C'mon," he said, "So, what grade are you in anyway?"

I simply sighed.

"Grade 11," I told him.

"Oh," he said, surprised, "Well...that _suck_."

_My feelings exactly Zack_, I thought.

This day is starting out pretty well, _NOT_.

**Down one grade...what would Cloud face as he repeat his Junior year as a girl?**

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	12. A strange side of Sephiroth

**Hey guys, here is the next chapter in this story. The real chapter twelve since i just realized i made a mistake on the previous chapter`s title.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter Twelve

A strange side of Sephiroth

"Alright, let me see your schedule?" Zack asked me.

Grumbling, I took out the piece of paper that holds my fate in this school. I can`t believe that I was demoted down to a junior. I mean, seriously, I passed that grade already, and it was one of my worst years _ever_.

I was supposed to be getting credits and getting myself ready to graduate and leave this hellhole…

_I don`t care what Riona said, _I thought, _This is definitely the worst thing that ever happened to me._

Zack was examining my schedule, probably memorizing it.

"Wow, you`ve got three of the same classes we had last year," he said.

"Please tell me it`s not anyone bad," I asked him.

"Well, you`ve got Reeves`s World History class again," he told me giving me a glance, "and then there is Study Hall with Red XIII…"

"At least he is a cool one," I said.

Red XIII was one of the most laid back teachers I have ever met. I think he was part of a gang once when he was younger for he had that big XIII tattoo upon his arm along with a red Saber tooth there.

Study Hall with him should be bearable.

I took the schedule from Zack`s hand.

"Let me see,"

I noticed the new classes instantly and that caused me to furrow my eyes a little. There was a plant class, which I knew Yuna was part of last year, and from what she had told me, it was difficult. There is another new class which was Astronomy the study of stars which mean it will be taken place late at night.

"I never took that Astronomy class before," I told him.

"Oh," Zack said, "I heard it`s a pretty cool class. You`ve get to take field trip out of the school to visit Midgar Space Station and all that."

"Really?" I asked giving him a glance.

Zack nodded.

"Who teach that class?"

"Some guy called Estheim," Zack shrugged, "I heard he was from Cocoon. A young teacher from what I hear."

I nodded at him and took sight of my first period for the day.

"What the…I have Linguistic this early in the morning?" I said, shocked.

"You took a Language class?" Zack said, smiling at me, "But you _totally suck_ at them."

"I know…," I told him but then registered what he just said, "Hey, I don`t suck at them."

"Sure you don`t," he told me shaking his head, "Well, you class is just around this corner."

"Thanks," I told him, taking a deep breath, "Let`s hope I don`t embarrass myself on my first day."

"Sure, and Lightning," Zack said as a student passed them.

I gave him a glance.

"Don`t go breaking hearts now you hear," he said, "It won`t be fair if you suddenly get a boyfriend…"

"Do you want me to kill you Zack?" I asked him glaring at him.

"Sheesh, I am just kidding," Zack said rubbing the top of my head, messing my hair.

I don`t like it when he does that, now that our height had changed. When I was a boy, we were about the same height and when he does that, he was always freaking teasing me or annoying me. But now, I am a girl and shorter than he was, he was suddenly taller than I am and it was pretty strange.

Then the warning bell had started to ring.

"Well, got to go," Zack told me as he started to run down the opposite way.

"I`ll see you later," I called to him.

"And Lightning," he said turning around giving me a grin, "Knock them dead with that pretty face."

I stared at him as he continued to run away.

_I swear I am going to kill him, _I thought.

"_I hope you`re late for your class Zackary Fair_," I yelled as he turn the corner.

I swear I could hear him laughing his ass off. Grumbling under my breath, I turned toward the end of the hallway arriving near where my Linguistic class is.

The room was, to my surprise, not as filled as I previously thought. They were a few boys seating in the corner talking in between themselves and laughing.

I recognize one of them as Reno. I swear I can recognize that mass of red hair anywhere in the school. For those of you who don't know, Reno here is a major playboy. Sure, in the past I never actually paid attention to him and I`ve heard rumors about him sleeping around with willing girls and he had been trying to get in the skirts of some of the popular girls in the school, such as Yuna, Aerith to name a few.

At my entrance, I saw some of them glance toward me and then most of them simply froze at my appearance. Reno himself simply raised his eyebrows as his eyes went up and down…

_Damn he is already checking me out? _I thought, _I can`t help but feel creep out._

I glanced toward one of the empty seat by the window and quickly laid my bag there and seated down. Since the room wasn`t as loud as I expected, I can hear their whispers from the back of the room even though some of it were muffled.

"…Damn, that`s a babe…,"

"Know who she is?" I heard Reno ask.

"Nope," another guy said, "First time I am seeing her."

"I got to learn her name," Reno spoke out.

I heard footsteps getting closer and then soon enough he was standing right beside my seated form.

"Hey there," he said.

I gave him a glance. He had splattered across his face, a grin that he probably thought was charming and his eyes were twinkling.

"You need something?" I asked him.

"I am Reno," he introduced himself giving me a wink, "I simply wanted to know your name beautiful?"

I stared at him.

_Do girls actually fall for this? _I thought in my head.

"Back off," I told him.

Reno seemed surprised at my answer.

"C`mon now," he said, "I won`t leave till you let me know your name."

"Then have fun standing there," I snapped back.

He was starting to irritate me.

"Playing hard to get I see," he said, probably not sensing my mood, "I can tell by just looking at you, you will be worth the chase. Not like the other girls around here."

He seated on the chair beside me.

"C`mon now, just gave me your name and I will leave you alone," he said, "I will honest."

I pointedly ignored him. Then I feel a large hand touching my smaller one and I suddenly turned toward him and saw that he had put his hand upon my wrist.

_WHAT_. _THE_. _HELL_.

"Get your hand off of me," I snapped taking my wrist out of his paw like hands.

"Now don't be like that," he started.

Then something hit him on the back of his head sending him forward a little as he turned toward it.

"Hey watch it…?"

He stopped dead face to face with Sephiroth. The young man was dressed in his school uniform his long silver hair falling in his eyes as his green eyes stared straight into him.

I was floored seeing him there. Why _is Sephiroth here in this class_?

"Damn it Crescent," Reno said.

"That`s my seat, get off of it," Sephiroth told him in a get-off-the-chair-already voice.

"I know where you seat Sephiroth," Reno said, standing up, "You`re here a little later than usual."

The tall young man yawned a little.

"Ask Genesis about it," he said taking his seat as he put his bag on the floor beside him.

"You`re stepping on my game here," Reno said.

Sephiroth looked up at him.

"The lady said no Reno," he said, "So back off already."

"C`mon Sephiroth," Reno said, "All the girls in this school are throwing themselves at you leave some for us man."

"It`s not like I asked for it," Sephiroth told him, "If you want the girls, you can take them…all they are worth is a headache."

A new voice laughed and the young man beside him. It was a man with silver hair similar to Sephiroth. They looked the same, but the other young man seemed smaller than Sephiroth as if he was younger.

"As if anyone can break your fanclub eh, brother?" he said giving the other male a pat on the back.

I blinked at that piece of information. _Brother_?

"Kadaj, go back to your class," Sephiroth told him.

"I have been transferred to this one," The boy called Kadaj told him, "Seems I am too advanced for the 10 grade level."

"Great," Sephiroth said, not sounding thrilled about it.

"C`mon little Sephiroth," Reno told Kadaj giving him a one-harm hug, "Let me introduce you to the rest of the crew."

"_Don`t you dare corrupt my brother Reno_," Sephiroth warned him.

Reno simply gave him a raspberry.

"How mature," the silver haired man murmured, shaking his head side to side.

I stared at him. I have never actually had a class with Sephiroth in the past before and I had no idea how he acted, but this is not what I actually pictured in my head. I mean, I always pictured him as an arrogant jackass who thinks he is better than anyone here.

"You`re not going to jump me are you?" Sephiroth`s voice said suddenly bringing me back to reality.

"_Why the hell would I do that_?" I retorted at him.

The latter gave me a lazy look.

"The last girl who sat beside me had to be pry off," he said, running a hand through his hair, "It took both Genesis and Angeal to remove her from me."

"I don`t see what the girls see in you," I told him.

"That makes two of us," he answered.

Then he turned his gaze toward me and just…keeps…staring.

"What?"

He leaned forward so suddenly that I had to lean backward but my back hit the window behind me. He stared at me straight in the eyes and I swear his intrusive green eyes were seeing right through me.

"Look...you`re seriously creeping me out…,"

"I know your secret," he cut me off.

I can say I literally froze in my seat at this. I stared at him, feeling fear growing through me. He can`t…he can`t have realized that I was Cloud did he?

_Play it cool Cloud, play it cool, _a voice said in my head sounding like Tifa.

"W…What are you talking about?" I asked him.

But Sephiroth`s face stayed the same cool, impenetrable mask he usually wear when I actually caught glimpse of him when I was Cloud. It was actually frightening to see it up close and in my face.

"_I know your secret_," he told me, his voice lowering to a whisper, "Meet me at the unused room on the third floor during lunch at the end of the corridor. We will have a talk then about why you are lying to everyone, and if you don`t come, I will tell _everyone_ in this school you are not who you appear to be."

_Don`t panic, don`t panic, for the love of all that is Holy don`t fucking panic._

Even if I was repeating this mantra in my head, I couldn`t stop my hand from shaking on the table. But Sephiroth seemingly had finished from threatening me as he leaned back. He pulled out his notebook since the teacher had just stepped inside the room, as the rest of the class took their seat waiting for the lesson to start.

_Shit, shit shit…He figured it out, he actually figured it out, damn you Zack and i trusted what you told me before, _I thought, _I am DOOOOOMED._


	13. Bitch and Flower

**Hey guys, here is a new chapter.**

**Hope you enjoy and review**

Chapter Fourteen

Bitch and Flower

Seating in throughout the class side by side with Sephiroth was pure torture. I couldn`t just forget what he had just told me just earlier before. I was panicking and it was taking me a great deal of self-control to not just run out of the room screaming my head off.

_C`mon think rationally, _I told myself taking deep breath to calm myself down.

I have to think this over seriously now. But I can`t help the images that were conjuring up my mind. Some of them involved Sephiroth making me his bitch literally, and I couldn`t do anything about it because if I did, he will spill everything.

There is another about him taking a pleasure by psychologically torturing me throughout the entire year by dropping little hints, here and there about my secrets, and making me do a bunch of stupid and random stuff while he simply smirked in the background as everyone in the school laughed at me for behind an idiot.

There was another one…

I shook my head violently.

_There is no way any of this is possible, _I thought, _Even if he did does this thing, I won`t be polite about it and I will face him head on about it._

I gave a glance toward the guy beside me.

He was entirely relaxed in his chair. He seemed to be focused upon the lecture the teacher was giving out, taking notes every now and then like a perfect model student.

Now that I think about it, I had no idea if Sephiroth was a good student or not since stuff like that didn`t concern me in the past while I was a boy…

I ran a hand through my now smooth hair.

_But how did he figured it out, _I thought, _I mean, he saw me that day as a guy and the very next day, as I girl when I fell upon his him…As Zack told me, it`s not possible for a guy to become a girl overnight, well except for that Wishing Tree…_

I gave him a sideway glance.

_So, he had to be blowing smokes earlier, _I concluded, _he has to be…_

Then Sephiroth suddenly picked up his pen and turned the page in his notebook. He then wrote something down on the page and stood it up, so that I could see what he had written down.

**Why are you staring at me?**

I noticed that he was giving me that stare again…and I simply turned my head away, and throughout the rest of the period, I didn`t glance at his direction again…thought that took a lot of effort.

When the bell rings, signaling the end of class, I took it as a blessing in disguise before quickly pilling my stuff inside my bag and quickly walking out of the room…

But a hand took hold of my arm causing me to glance around. Sephiroth had taken hold of me and I noticed an amused smile playing upon his lips as his green eyes stared at me.

"Don't forget our little rendezvous _Lightning_," he said as he lean forward a little.

Then he let go, walking out of the room leaving me to stare at his silver head.

"You…You`re Lightning right?" a voice asked me.

I turned toward the voice finding a small boy right beside me. He looked like an elementary school kid. He had short hair and his black eyes were staring straight at me, holding some books in one hand, which I recognize to be comics, his bag in another.

"Er…yes," I told him.

"What class do you have next?" he asked me.

I took out my schedule and gave it a quick scan.

"I have a Plant Science," I told him.

He gave me a nod.

"I know where it is since I am heading into the Science building also," he told me, "Would you mind if I accompany you since you are a new student. It would be wise for you to get familiar with the different school buildings."

_I am already familiar with them, _I told him in my head, _but the little guy was so sweet, I guess I can`t fault him for helping me._

I gave him a grin.

"Sure why not?"

He gave me a soft smile also.

"Then let`s go," he said.

The two of us made our way out of the classroom and down the hallway which will took us straight toward the Science building.

"What is your name by the way?" I asked him.

I never thought I seen this kid before back then. He looked up at me, surprised that I even asked him that.

"Y…You want to know my name?" he said, not keeping the shock out of his voice.

I looked at him confused.

"Yeah," I said, "Is that so shocking?"

The boy looked down, nervously.

"Well, not once a pretty girl had asked me for my name before," he said.

I stared at him, raising my eyebrow in surprise and confusion before it hit me.

_Oh, yeah, he is talking about me, _I thought.

"Well, there is a first for everything," I told him out loud.

He seemed happier when I said that.

"Well…I guess, for someone like me," he said, "Well my name is Jacques Crown."

I blinked. The name doesn`t ring a bell.

"How long you`ve been going here?" I asked him.

"Since my freshman year," he told me, "I am a Junior now."

I stared at him in surprise.

"No way,"

"Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "Most people have that reaction somehow. I am the shortest in my family…I guess I am the one that need a lot of growing up to do."

"You probably need to drink some milk," I told him.

He just laughed.

Jacques was a pretty cool guy, despite his height, but he seems more to be a nerd than anything else. That was probably why I never heard of him before. Nerds in this school tend to go unnoticed by me most of the time since most of my crowd didn't talk to them that much…

Then we reached a familiar hallway and I can see the sign at the top of the turn reading.

SCIENCE WING

"Your class is down here," he said, pointing me to the left side, "I am going the other way."

"Nice talking to you Jacques," I told him.

The small dude gave me a nod before he started going down the hallway, almost getting sweep by the taller students, thought some of them stepped out of the way seeing him coming. They were probably used to see him go down that way.

I turned around, getting ready to walk down toward where my class when it happened.

"_Out of my way, Midget_," a voice yelled.

I turned toward it.

Jacques was on the ground sprawled on his back, with his books spraying all around him along with his bag. There standing right in front of the fallen boy was a girl, with both of her hands on her waist, staring down at him.

I knew who that girl was, everyone in the school know who she was.

Missy Molvens also know as Bitch Face Missy, courtesy of Zack back when I first met her…which was when she was Reeve`s girlfriend. That girl was a bitch to the highest degree and one can`t help but wanting to punch her in the face whenever she opened her mouth.

Another fact is, now that Reeve had broken up with her, she is the president of the Sephiroth fanclub. Never thought I will run into her on my first day back here.

Jacques seated up from where he had fallen and ignored the girl that stood in front of him. He simply started to rearrange his books. He made to pick up one of them from the ground but Missy here put her shoe upon it.

"Please remove your foot," Jacques said, his voice sounding as polite as when I was talking to him, "You are stepping on my book."

"Apologize for running into me Midget," Missy said a sneer crossing her face.

Jacques looked up at her and I couldn`t see the expression on his face.

"You run into me," he said, "You are the one that knocked me over."

"Well I said different," Missy told him, "Now apologize now."

Jacques was silent for a few seconds as if contemplating what to do next before he spoke again.

"Then I apologize for running into you," he said, his voice not changing at least one bit, "Now, would you please remove your feet?"

I can`t believe he actually apologized as I watched the event unfold in front of me, but something tell me that Jacques had faced her before in the past.

Missy twisted her feet on the ground, the one that was still on the fallen book before, sharply drawing her feet forward. The sound of a tearing page is loud in the air. She was staring at Jacques who seemingly had frozen as he stared at the ripped book on the ground.

"You gonna cry?" she said, probably seeing Jacques`s expression as he watched the book on the ground.

I didn`t know when I moved. I probably started moving ever since I first recognize Missy, but I knew in my boiling blood that I wanted to punch her face in.

And that`s exactly what I prepared to do.

I got close enough to draw her attention toward me but to my utmost surprise, someone else beat me to it.

SLAP!

A dark haired girl had stepped in front of me, bitchslapping Missy causing the girl`s face to turn sideway. She was so shocked that her mouth had dropped open.

"That`s enough Missy," the girl said.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Missy yelled at the girl, massing her cheek.

"If you want to pick on someone, then bring it on," the girl yelled at her, "I`m sick of watching you picking on my classmate here."

Missy looked like she was about to pounce on the girl but just when a cat fight is about to break out, something drew her attention which she instantly calmed down.

"Is there a problem here?" a voice said.

A school counselor, Mr. Rosch stood there with both of his hands behind his back. The silver haired man stared at the assembled group of student, his eyes seemingly X-raying everyone here.

Missy gave him a cheerful, I-am-a-nice-student smile as she said.

"No it`s nothing, he simply fell," she said, indicating Jacques who was still on the ground.

Then she walked away as the crowd of students who were watching the drama started to disperse. The dark haired girl kneeled beside Jacques talking to him and he simply nodded a few time as he picked up the now ruined comic book. I caught words of "My brother…" in their conversation.

"That`s enough drama for one morning don`t you think Lightning?" a voice told me from beside me.

I glanced at it and I feel my eyes widen.

Aerith was standing right beside me, a soft grin on her face. She was dressed in her school uniform, naturally, but somehow, it seems she was born to wear the uniform.

"H…How do you know my name?" I asked her, shocked.

"Yuna told me about you," she said, giving me a glance, "We have the same class, Plant Science right?"

I nodded.

"Yeah,"

She gave me a smile.

"Well, let me introduce myself then, my name is Aerith Gainsborough, I am the school`s Flower Girl."

"Lightning," I answered, "But call me Light."

"C`mon," she told me, giving me a path on the shoulder, "We best get to class before we`re late."

I gave her a nod and glanced back toward where Jacques was but the small boy had already disappeared in the mass of students. Missy was just lucky I never prank her back in the days…

Then suddenly an idea fell on my head.

I was a girl now meaning I live in the girl`s dorm, same as Missy.

_Well, look like it`s your time to taste a very good prank of mine Missy._

__**I make a cameo in my own story...kind of like Stan Lee in the Marvel movies.**

**Hope you enjoyed that.**

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	14. Into the Rhythm

**Hey guys, a new chapter in this story.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter Fifteen

Into the Rhythm

The class with Aerith surprisingly was really nice, although I noticed a number of students looking at us and murmuring to each other, gossiping.

I guess they are probably gossiping why the school`s Flower Girl was seating with a new student. Aerith was a smart girl, probably the top of her class level. When the school had an Award Ceremony, she is always on the stage receiving a couple of those for her Academic prowess through the school.

She had gotten a lot of attentions because of that and many girls admired her while many boys had crushes on her and I can admit that I found her attractive once, but I never did but the move on her. Something about her just stopped me from doing anything against her, or messing with her feelings like a grade-A jackass.

Thought, I think it was mostly because Zack had told me that he had feelings for the girl. When we were in freshman year, that was the time Zack and I first crossed path with Aerith.

She wasn`t the Flower Girl yet then, but she had been placed on the list as a candidate. That was probably what drew Zack`s attention toward her in the first place and boy, he was love struck about Aerith ever since then.

Zack had been an outrageous flirt and he had flirted with tons of girls before, and yet whenever he met Aerith, it was like he had forgotten how to speak.

The poor boy got it bad, and since I am such a good friend to him, I will probably help Aerith take notice of him…

"You`re Cloud`s cousin eh," Aerith told me as we worked upon our class work.

I glanced at her and gave her a nod.

"Yeah."

"I never would have thought Cloud had family on Cocoon," Aerith told me giving me a sideway glance away from the plant in front of her, "You resemble him a lot you know."

I chuckled.

"Really? I don`t see it."

"So what`s its like being homeschooled?" she asked.

I turned my attention at the work.

"It`s…different," was my answer.

"Different how?"

"Well, first of all," I continued, "I am the only student. Second, I can`t slack off like any other kids would do at school and didn`t have much friends."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was…kind of a loner," I told her, "Thought when I arrived back in Nibelheim, Zack was one of the few people that I quickly became friends with."

Aerith had a light frown on her face.

"Zackary Fair right?" she said.

I nodded, curious about what she thought of my best friend.

"You know him?"

"I don`t think there is a soul in the school that doesn`t know who Zackary Fair is," Aerith answered me as she wrote down something on her notebook, "He got into a lot of troubles with Cloud in the past, which took my by surprise to tell you the truth…thought I always believed that he was a shy kid."

I blinked in confusion.

_Zack Fair is a shy kid? Are we talking about the same person here?_

"How did you come up with that?"

Aerith turned toward me.

"Whenever I spoke to him, he couldn`t even talk back," she said, "nor looking at me in the eyes. I always wonder why since I heard from the other girls that he is quite a sweet talker."

_Oh, that`s cause the boy is halfway in love with you Aerith, _I thought to myself.

"You never paused to think that he might…I don't know…like you."

Aerith laughed, showing the perfect row of white teeth that she possesses.

"He won`t be the first one Lightning," she told me.

"Call me Light," I told her.

She glanced at me with a look before nodding.

"So what about my question?"

"I don`t date Light," Aerith told me, "Everyone knows that…and I don`t wish to date anyone in this school."

Her tone had taken a harder tune, as she glanced down at the book that was in the middle of the table.

"Sorry," I said.

"Don`t worry," Aerith said, "You were just curious so I don't blame you."

I frowned to myself. Since Aerith never actually dated anyone before, I thought she just was never interested in anyone. She said that everyone knows that she doesn`t date…well, count me out of that crowd…

I should probably ask Yuna about the reason why when I see her again.

The rest of the day went without a hitch and then lunchtime rolled in. The student body made their way toward the cafeteria to grab something to eat and I was suddenly made aware of a fact that had been looming over my head ever since this morning.

Sephiroth`s invitation.

I didn`t want to go there and meet with him but the words that he had told me still causes me to feel some fear…

_We will have a talk then about why you are lying to everyone, and if you don`t come, I will tell everyone in this school you are not who you appear to be_

I feel a shudder go through my body.

_Damn this guy knows how to be intimidating._

"Lightning," a voice yelled.

I had just stepped inside the cafeteria and I glanced up at the sound of my new name. Yuffie was waving at me, grinning widely and I caught sight of Zack seating down beside her…

_Shit, it`s the guys, _I thought.

It was the entire gang…thought it was missing Reeve which caused me to wonder where he was. But even so, I made my way toward them and took in the rest of the crew.

Barrett was eating a hotdog, chewing upon it heavily. Beside him was Cid Highwind, which had short blond hair and a lean body. He was leaning back against his chair, seeping upon his juice, and despite his looks, he had quite a potty mouth. Reeve usually sat between the two to act as a pacifier of some kind when Barrett and Cid get into an argument.

I reached them and Yuffie quickly approached forward, taking hold of my hand.

"Hey, there," she said, grinning, "I hope you`re enjoying the day so far. C`mon, let`s meet the rest of your cousin`s friends."

She approached the table and Zack gave me a smirk of acknowledgment which I returned by sticking my tongue out to him. That caused him to chuckle.

"So you already know Zack?" Yuffie said, noticing the exchange.

"Yeah," I told her, "We`ve met before."

"Cloud is such a meanie you know," Yuffie told me, "One would have thought he would tell us about you."

"W…Well, Cloud and I weren`t close," I told her.

Yuffie gave a nostalgic smile.

"He will surely be missed."

_Yuffie, you made it sound like I died or something._

"Well anyway," she continued, as she pointed toward the two other guys, "This is Garrett and Cid."

"Fucking finally to meet you," Cid said.

Barrett simply gave me a nod in greetings before he talked.

"So where in Cocoon did you come from?"

"I…Er…I am from Bodhum," I told him.

"Wow, you are actually from there?" Yuffie said shocked, her eyes showing glee, "Does people on Cocoon actually wished on Fireworks?"

"Er…yeah," I told her, looking at her direction, "It`s a cultural tradition…"

"I have a friend that is from Palumpolum," Yuffie told me, "He said that he saw the Fireworks display when he was younger, said they were a sight to see…_god, I wish I could go there_."

"Then Go already," Highwind told her, well more like snapped at her, "That will save us the trouble of talking to your hyper ass. Oh, and say hi to Cloud while you`re at it."

I chanced a glance toward Zack for a clue of what is happening here but he simply shook his head in hopelessness. I turned my gaze toward him.

"Are you mad that Cloud left?"

"Of course I am mad," Highwind said, "_Fuck_, the bastard didn't even tell us that he was leaving. He didn`t even talk to his friends, to _us_ about it before hauling ass toward Cocoon, so don`t blame me that I am fucking pissed about it."

"_Cid_," Yuffie said, indignantly.

"What?" the blond boy said, "She is the one that asked the fucking question."

"Cid, shut up," Garrett said.

"Why should I?" he growled at the boy, "You were pretty pissed about it to so don`t fucking try…"

I suddenly stood up, causing him to be cut off.

"Well, I see that my company isn`t wanted here anymore," I growled out.

"Lightning, _wait_…," Yuffie started.

But I didn`t wait. I simply ran out of the cafeteria. Well, fuck I didn`t ask to be turned into a girl…and I didn`t ask for any of the shit that came after….

I didn`t know how far I had ran when a hand suddenly caught hold of my arm.

"_Let me go_,"

"Hey, Light, chill out," a familiar drawl said.

I turned toward it. Fang was the one behind me, holding my arm. Her green eyes stared at me in concern.

"Are you crying?" she asked.

Was I crying? No, but I feel pretty close to it. Fuck, I was never like this back when I was a boy. Highwind always talk like that and even when we fought in the past…it never bothered me before so why…why did the words hurt a lot more than before?

I don't get it.

"W…What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was hanging out outside of the school with a friend when I saw you ran past us," Fang told me, "I saw your face for a split second and you looked like you were crying so…here I am."

I swallowed heavily.

"I`m fine,"

"No you`re not," Fang told me, "If it was, you wouldn`t be crying. So what exactly happen earlier?"

"I don`t want to talk about it," I answered her.

Fang stared at me for a few seconds before releasing my arm. I wasn`t even aware she was still holding on to it. I guess I am really out of it if I didn`t retaliates with force…

"Fang," a girl`s voice called.

An orange haired girl was approaching us. She had a bright sunny smile on her face, running toward us with. She was wearing many bracelets on her wrist which took me aback.

"So you`ve caught up to her eh," the new girl said, chuckling.

I couldn't help but notice that this girl is unusually…_cheery_. When I ran past them…they weren't…

"Fang, when you said hang out," I started, "You weren`t actually…"

"What?" the dark haired girl said, "Not with Vanille…she is like my sister. As much as I wished it was, I wasn`t making out with her. She is one of my friends."

The orange haired girl, Vanille, turned her gaze toward me.

"Why don't you hang out with us?" she asked.

I knew that I had to meet with Sephiroth considering the warning he had laid out in front of me but I am not going. Fuck it, I was already feeling like shit because of what Cid had said, I wasn't in the mood for any more freaking drama, not even if it was from the silver haired King himself.

Heck, even if the President of Shinra said he`ll give me a million gils and I still wouldn't have gone…well, I will probably take the money but, I wouldn't have gone.

"Sure, why not," I answered her.

Vanille gave me a grin and took my hand before pulling me along with Fang following after us. A good time outside of the school building might be what I needed after such a stressful morning.

**Read and review**

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


	15. Two Face, One soul

**Hey guys, long time since i updated right. But anyway, here is a new chapter for you to enjoy.**

Chapter 15

Two face, One soul

Fang and Vanille took me back to a empty spot upon the school`s large grounds. As we approached, they were two backpacks still on the ground and a Literature book laid abandoned upon the grass.

"Hey, seat with us," Vanille said, giggling a little.

I dropped beside the redhead girl, letting out a loud groan. I was still feeling a little sad from what happened earlier with Cid. I knew the guy was a potty mouth but damn, I didn`t think that I would have gotten affected as I did.

I guess feelings are stronger if you are a girl…I don't know.

"So you`re feeling okay?" Fang asked putting a hand on my shoulder.

I gave her a glance.

"You`re acting weird," I said simply.

The dark haired girl raised her eyebrows.

"Why?"

"Well, you usually say something really vulgar and dirty right about now," I told her.

Vanille giggled again.

"So Fang already flirting with you," she said.

"Not my fault Lightning," Fang said shrugging her shoulders, "You`re a beautiful girl, and really sexy. I`ve got a weakness for pretty girls."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. That wasn`t like her at all, and then a smirk grew upon her face, a light drool appearing beside her face.

"Ah…the things I imagine to be doing to such a body…,"

I shook my head. Now, _that_ sounds more like Fang.

"So your name is Lightning eh?" Vanille said, looking at me.

"Yes," I told her, "Lightning Farron."

Vanille blinked.

"Farron?" she repeated, "You`re related to Serah Farron?"

I blinked in confusion.

"Who?"

Fang laughed.

"Geez Vanille," she said, "Don't go seeing that girl everywhere you look okay."

Vanille pouted a little.

"Hey, it`s not my fault that they have the same hair color," she said, giving the dark haired girl a look.

I glanced at the duo, confused.

"What are you two talking about?" I asked.

Fang gave me a glance.

"Serah Farron is a famous pop star that Vanille is a fan of," she said.

I blinked, thinking to myself. Now that I realized it, the surname Farron I had read it off a music magazine back at the train station. I could have taken the name from there…

"Really?" I murmured.

"I heard she is from Cocoon too," Vanille rattled off, "She started her career when she was thirteen years old…can you believe it?"

"Wow, that`s young."

"Please don't talk about that pop star," Fang said, putting a hand on her head, "That`s the only thing that this girl over there is talking about for over a month now…and to tell you the truth I am growing tired of listening it."

Vanille rubbed the back of her head suddenly sheepish.

"Sorry."

I stared at the duo.

"You`ve been friends long?" I asked.

"Since we were brats," Fang answered me, "Back then, we lived in Oerba. It wasn`t a big village, but we had what we needed."

She giggled.

"We used to get in so much trouble back then."

"That was your fault Fang," Vanille said, aiming toward the girl, "You were the one that always get on the wrong side of the Village Chief."

"Hearing this," I said, chuckling, "I am not surprised at all."

Fang gave me a glance but instead of replying she simply smiled.

"I guess you`ve got me all figured out eh," she said.

I blinked wondering where she was going with this.

"You`re going to tell me why you were crying?" she asked.

I suddenly looked down toward the ground, feeling the good mood that had settled in evaporate. I didn`t wish to think about what Cid had said earlier...

"It was nothing," I murmured.

"It had to be something to have you crying earlier," she said, and I can feel her gaze upon me.

_Why was I crying for? I know that restarting as Lightning will be difficult but… what was the reason?_

"I…I don`t really know," I answered.

Fang stayed quiet for a while, probably thinking about something. Then I heard someone call out my name and I looked up seeing both Zack and Yuffie running toward us.

"Hey, Light are you okay?" Yuffie asked as I stood up to greet them.

She threw herself forward, enveloping me into a giant bear hug.

"Yuffie…,"

"I am so sorry," she said, "I didn`t think on how Cid will react about meeting you. I was just so excited to meet Cloud`s cousin…"

"Settle down, little ninja," Zack said patting the girl`s back, "Give her some room to breathe."

Yuffie suddenly let me go.

"Sorry," she said looking down.

I smiled.

"Hey don't worry about it Yuffie," I told her.

"But…," Yuffie started.

"I told you not to worry about it," I said, more forcefully, drawing the girl`s attention toward me, "Whatever Cid want to say, he can say it…Cloud did go away without saying anything to anyone."

Zack gave me a glance, probably confused as to why I was saying this.

"And he probably see me as a replacement to him," I continued, looking away from Yuffie`s eyes, "Maybe it will be for the best that I don't associate with them."

Yuffie looked close to crying and I swore I had seen tears glistering large eyes of hers.

"_You don't want to be my friend_?"

I quickly waved my hands.

"You can be my friend if you want," I told her, "It`s just…"

She took me in a hug.

"Don`t worry," Yuffie grinned, not a trace of tears on her face, "I`ll be a friend to you."

"So Highwind is the reason sunshine was crying eh," Fang said.

I glanced toward her and noticed that she was standing up with a scowl upon her face. Zack glanced up at her.

"It was just a misunderstanding," he said.

Fang gave him a glare.

"No one makes my friend cry and get away with it," she said, tightening her fist as if she was ready to get into a fight.

Vanille quickly took hold of the girl before she could move away.

"_No Fang_," she said, "If you fight again, you will be suspended."

I feel a smirk working upon my lips.

"Hey no need for you to get involved Fang," I told her, "It`s my problem you know…"

The girl gave me a serious glance, probably the most serious one I ever saw upon her face.

"If you`re going to be my girl one day I have to step up," she said, a large grin crossing her face.

I had to face palm at that.

_Way to ruin your cool moment Fang._

At that time, the bell started to ring.

"Best get back to class," Zack said, "C`mon Light, I`ll show you where to go."

I nodded at him and then gave the rest a glance.

"I`ll see you back at the dorms okay?"

Vanille waved along with Yuffie but Fang was frowning in our direction, thought I have no idea why. She probably is still mad about not being able to go and fight Cid…

Now that I think about it, who would win if there was a fight between the two?

"You know, I didn`t expect you to start badmouthing yourself back there," Zack said, from beside me as we walked back up toward the school building.

"Me neither," I answered him, "But…earlier, I guess reality decided to give me a big slap in the face again."

"How come?"

I stared at him.

"I think I realized why I was crying earlier."

He returned my gaze.

"I was surprised to see _you_ crying actually," he said, thinking about it, "In the past, whenever Cid said something you usually waved it off like it`s nothing."

_The past,_ I thought.

"But I wasn`t always Lightning Farron in the past was I?" I told him.

Zack let out a soft sound of surprise. I turned fully toward him meeting him in the eyes.

"Zack, do you see me as Lightning Farron or as Cloud Strife?" I asked.

He looked confused.

"Wha…aren`t you both?"

"I know I am," I answered, "Maybe…that`s where I got confused. Going back to school, I thought everything was gonna go back to normal you see. All of us laughing together again like it always used to be…but, to them, I am a stranger, not their friends for the past two years."

Zack stayed quiet.

"I guess I was still thinking as _Cloud Strife_ not as _Lightning Farron_" I said, looking down, "Lightning doesn`t have any friends here in this school."

"But you are still Cloud," Zack said taking hold of my shoulder.

I gave him a smile.

"To you I am, no one else. You know that right?" I told him.

He looked down, seemingly thinking about what I said.

"I…I guess…," he said.

I took hold of the hand that was on my shoulder who surprisingly is large than my own.

"C`mon, let`s go," I told him, "You`ve got to show me where to go…remember."

He looked up at me and then a small grin split his face.

"You may be Lightning Farron on the outside," he said, "But you`re still my best friend…c`mon."

* * *

**No one POV**

Sephiroth was seating inside the empty classroom where he was going to meet the new transfer student Lightning Farron. To his surprise, however, the girl didn't show up despite what he had told her during their first period.

Now the bell signaling the end of the lunch period was echoing across the school and the silver haired young man stood up from where he was seating and walked toward the door, his green eyes showing a light mirth.

"So you are a no-show Lightning Farron," he murmured.

Then a grin crossed his usually, emotionless mask.

"It`s not every day a girl refuse my invitations," he said looking out the empty classroom.

The grin grew his face, the green eyes sparkling with amusement despite that he had been stood up. Instead of feeling anger, Sephiroth felt intrigue.

_You are really an interesting one, _he thought.

The silver haired young man walked toward the door. Lightning Farron had drawn his eyes ever since he first crossed path with her, and now the girl had his undivided attention.

_Interesting indeed._

**What is Sephiroth planning to do now that Lightning had his attention?**

**Hope you have enjoyed that.**

**Jacques0 out.  
**

**R&R.**


	16. A hand of friendship

**Hey guys, here is a new chapter.**

**Enjoy**

Chapter 16

A hand of friendship

After school, Zack was there waiting for me at the end of my class and I gave him a small smirk.

"You're feeling okay?" he asked, when he took notice of me, "You know…about what Cid said during lunch."

"I am feeling better," I told him.

He gave me a pat on the shoulder, "He shouldn't have said what he said and I am sure he got an earful of it from Garret already, but I am going to have a few choice words with him."

"You know you don't need to do this right?" I told him.

"I know," he said, "But what kind of friend would I be if I am not looking out for my brother in arms…or is it sister in arm now?"

I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. Damn I love this guy.

"You're the bestest friend ever, you know that right?" I said.

He had a grin upon his face.

"I know right," he said, "What would you do without me?"

I gave him a punch on the shoulder, causing him to laugh again.

"I heard you had a class with Aerith today," he started casually as we walked through the halls along with the rest of the student body.

I gave him a sideway glance.

"I know what you are fishing for Zackary," I told him.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes," I told him.

"Well…did you put a good word for me?" he asked.

Now that he had brought up Aerith, I was instantly reminded of something.

"She told me that she didn't date," I told him, "Did you know about that?"

Zack stared at me.

"If I knew then I wouldn't be trying to ask her out to a date now do I?"

I sighed.

Yeah, he is right. If he knew, he wouldn't have tried to ask her. It made me think really. Aerith was a pretty girl, probably one of the prettiest girls in school. That probably means that she get asked out a lot by a bunch of guys…

"I need to talk to Yuna," I told him.

Zack followed after me.

"Why?" he asked, and I could hear the curiosity in his voice.

"She might know something, you know where she is?"

Zack shook her head.

"She might have gone back to the dorm," he told me.

"Well off we go then," I told him running toward the exit.

"Oy, wait up."

Turns out, it didn't take me long to find Yuna since the girl was the one who found us.

"_LIGHTNING_,"

That voice brought me to a jarring stop, and I searched around for where the voice was coming from until I found Yuna there, waving at me from where she was. She had a couple of girls with her and I waved back.

"Well you found her," Zack said, breathing heavily.

I made my way toward her and as soon as I was close to her, she had her arm around mine and pulled me forward.

"So how was your day?" she asked.

I thought back to everything that had happened today and let out a soft sigh.

"Eventful,"

"Eventful huh," she said, frowning, "It must be hard with this sudden change of environment, but I am sure that it will get better."

This girl was really a sweet girl.

"Thanks Yuna, but can I ask you something?"

She glanced at me.

"What is it?"

"Well…it's about Aerith," I told her.

"Oh, so you've met her?" Yuna told me, a bright grin growing upon her face.

"Yeah, we had a Science class together," I answered, "she said something that had me thinking…like, she doesn't date anyone here."

Yuna glanced down frowning.

"Oh, well I don't know anything about it," she said, "You'll have to ask her about it yourself. Aerith doesn't exactly talk about herself a lot…but I do know that her family is pretty wealthy."

"A rich kid?" I said, surprised. I didn't know that.

"Like I said," Yuna told me refocusing her attention upon me, "Aerith doesn't talk about herself a lot…a limousine pick her up and dropped her off every day."

"She doesn't stay in the dorms?"

Yuna shook her head.

"Why are you asking me all of this anyway?"

_Crap, think of something…quick._

"Well…I wanted to have a friend here," I told her, "and since I have the same class as her, I thought that if I know a little about her, we could hang out you know."

Yuna gave a smile.

"That's great Light," she said, "Oh…here is she is right now…"

I turned my attention and I noticed sure enough, it was Aerith and she was walking off a stone path that leads toward the parking lots, opposed to the one that lead toward the girl's dorm.

"Thanks Yuna, I'll talk to her," I said.

I quickly made my way toward where Aerith had disappeared to, dragging Zack along with me.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"After Aerith," I said, "There is something that I have to ask her."

By the time I reached the parking lot, I was out of breath and my side was hurting me. Zack was beside me, breathing heavily also and I glanced around searching for a limo and Aerith…

"There she is," Zack said.

I glanced at the direction he indicated and there was Aerith seating upon a bench alone. She had a book out and was reading it under the shade of the large trees that dominated the campus. I made my way toward her and as we got closer, she looked up toward us, her face showing surprise at seeing us there.

"Lightning, Zackary?" she said, "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you actually," I told her, drawing those eyes toward me.

"What for?" she asked, closing her book upon her lap.

"Well…I wanted to ask you if you wanted to hang out with me sometime?" I asked.

She blinked again.

"Hang out?"

"Yeah, you know," I continued, "Become friends and spend some afternoon together going out to places and all of that…that is, if you want to."

Aerith opened her mouth to answer but the klaxon of a car drew our attentions and a white car was there parked and waiting. The girl in front of me stood up and put her book inside her bag and she looked up toward me.

"That would be nice," she said looking at me with a smile, "to become friends with you Lightning."

I was inwardly relieved that she had agreed. As she walked away I stepped forward again raising my voice a little so that she can hear me.

"Well, if we're going to be friend, then call me Light."

She stopped in front of the car and turned toward me.

"Then I will."

She gave a small wave toward us, one I returned and she got inside of it and then the car drove off. I turned my attention toward Zack noticing that the young man was staring at the leaving car with a dazed look in his eyes, his hand still waving.

Oh, boy the poor guy got it bad.

"C'mon lover boy," I told him dragging him back.

That snapped him out of his dazed state and he turned toward me.

"Wait…why did you do that?" he asked, "What will becoming friend with Aerith prove?"

"Well, Aerith doesn't talk about herself much," I told him, "and not a lot of people know why she doesn't date. While I suspect it's the usual ideas, something still isn't clicking so if I become a friend to her, she might tell me why."

Zack stayed silent for a few seconds.

"You know…that's not a bad plan," he said, "What do you know…you are smart after all."

I gave him a glance.

"I am smart," I snapped at him, "How did you think I planned out those pranks we pulled?"

He simply chuckled as he removed himself from my grip.

"Don't worry Lightning," he said, "I am sure that you will get to the bottom of this…let's hope that it doesn't become messy."

A spark was ignited in my head.

"Speaking of messy," I said, "Said Zack, you know Missy right?"

"Bitch Missy?" he said.

"Yes," I told him, "Do you still have that itching power?"

"Yeah…why?"

I gave him an evil grin.

"Because I am going to play a _very_ itchy prank,"

**A very late update since I couldn`t think of a way to continue this story but as you can see, i am working on one.**

**Hope you have enjoyed that.**

**Jacques0 out.**

**R&R.**


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